Shamim Ahmed Khan
One of
the most significant sitar players in the contemporary Indian musical scene, Shamim Ahmed
Khan was born in 1938 in Baroda into an illustrious musical family of the Agra Gharana and
is the inheritor of a 500-year old tradition nurtured and developed over several
generations by such luminaries of the Indian musical horizon as Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad
Vilayat Hussain Khan, Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan, Ustad Latafat Hussain Khan and many
others. He was initiated into the art of vocal music at a very young age by his father
Ustad Ghulam Rasool Khan who taught at the Music College, Baroda University for over 35
years,from where young Shamim obtained a diploma in music. He later became a Pupil of the
celebrated sitar maestro, ‘Bharat Ratna’ Pandit Ravi Shankar under whose
guidance since 1955, Shamim grew into a musician of rare individuality and exquisite
taste. He is without doubt, today one of India’s foremost exponents of the famous
Maihar Gharana and represents style which is in the highest tradition of Hindustani
instrumental music.
Endowed
with a fine sense of pitch and an uncanny ability to extemporize brilliant rhythmic
patterns, his bright and catchy style of rendition marked by sheer clarity never fails to
create a joyful and spirited mood.
A widely
traveled artiste, Shamim Ahmed has featured in every major music festival in India in the
last 40 years in addition to frequent appearances in the national and regional networks of
All India Radio and Television. He is listed in All India Radio as a Top-Grade artiste.
His
international concert tours have taken him to countries such as the USA, UK, Portugal
(Gulbankian Foundation) East Africa, South Africa, the Netherlands and Mauritius. He was
the senior member of the delegation of artistes to Australia and New Zealand in 1989
(ICCR). Shamim Ahmed Khan was specially invited to perform in Japan, Manila, Hong Kong and
Singapore on the occasion of India’s 50th Anniversary of Independence in
1998 by the Government of India.
Shamim
Ahmed has a number of solo long playing records and compact discs to his credit. He has
played for the World Pacific Recording Company with Ustad Alla Rakha, Buddy Rich and Paul
Horn titled “Rich-la-Rakha”. He has also recorded for the Archives of All India
Radio, Sangeet Natak Akademi and the National Centre for the performing Arts. As an
innovative composer, he has played and also scored music for several short films and
theatre. His sitar recital was specially featured in the ‘Circarama Film’ made
by the distinguished German film maker Ramon Pelinski which was screened at the Munich
Olympics. In 1968, he participated in the SAARC countries Music Festival, Apna Utsav and
San Jose Rock Festival, USA and Min-On festival, Japan. As a dedicated teacher, he has
trained a number of talented Indian and foreign student. He is also a visiting lecturer of
music at the University of Bombay. He has taught at the ‘Kinnara’ school of
Music established by Pandit Ravi Shankar both in Bombay and Los Angeles.
Shamim
Ahmed Khan is the recipient of a number of awards such as the President’s Gold Medal
for outstanding young musicians (competition of AIR in 1955), The title
‘Tantri-Vilas’ was given to him by the Sur Singar Samsad, Bombay and
‘Abhinav Kala Summan’ awarded to him at Bhopal. The Central Sangeet Natak
Akademi has conferred on him the prestigious ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award’ for instrumental music (sitar) for the year 1994. The award was
presented to him at the hands of the President of India.
The
Government of India, Ministry of Human Resources Development (Department of Culture) has
chosen him as ‘Emeritus
Fellow’ from January 1999, in recognition
of his contribution to the preservation and promotion of India’s cultural tradition.
Comments
“Today I am happy to find that
Shamim Ahmed has acquired for himself an important position in the contemporary Indian
music scene……..His discs have brought credit not only to himself but also to the
music he plays. As his Guru, I am proud of Shamim Ahmed and I have no doubt that he will
scale heights in his musical career in the years to come.”
- Pandit Ravi Shankar – 1981
“In fact, your sitar player
Ustad Shamim Ahmed displayed an absolutely extraordinary sense of pitch and tone in highly
mathematical and complex time structures rhythmic patterns at last night’s concert at
the Tata Theater. – Yehudi Menuhin (at a press conference in Bombay).
“Gurushishya excel……at the Gharana
Sammelan……Sangeet Sammelan came to a climax at the Rang Bhavan amidst
unprecedented scenes of public adulation for Pandit Ravi Shankar and his talented disciple
Shamim Ahmed……The hounour of starting the proceedings went to Ustad Shamim
Ahmed. Keenly conscious of the importance of the occasion, Shamim Ahmed rose splendidly to
the opportunity in reciting a Yaman Kalyan of lyrical beauty. His playing was flowless and
it seemed he was seized with a creative fervour. The notes flowed limpid clear to the
measured of Zakir-Hussain’s imaginative rhythms patterns….Bravo Shamim Viva
Zakir”.
- Indian
Express, Bombay
“Among the contemporary musicians, it may come as a
surprise to many followers of form that Ustad Shamim Ahmed holds a unique position as the
meeting point of the two most illustrious gharanas of Indian music. He was born in the
Agra Gharana and took vocal lessons from his father Ustad Ghulam Rasool Khan and as a boy
from Ustad Khan. It was later he was fascinated with the style of Pandit Ravi Shankar to
become one of his ardent disciples, in the true traditions of the Maihar Gharana of Baba
Allauddin Khan.”
-
From interview in Mid-Day, Bombay
“Shamim Ahmed began with a
detailed depiction of Jaijaiwanti in alap, jod and jhala, followed by gat in vilambit and
drut. Then came two gat compositions in Mishra Khamaj and Hamir, which he played to rarely
known rhythmic cycle, called Matta Taal. He received ideal table sangat from Nayan
Ghosh.”
- The Times of India, Bombay
“Rare treat from a master of the
Indian Sitar’s many moods…..For the majority in last night’s solid
attendance, Shamim Ahmed’s performance of the classical evening raga, Yaman Kalyan,
was a study in masterly control, as he ranged through composed and improvised sections
over many moods from muted lyricism to impish exhibition…..The raga which plumbed
spiritual depths of Beethovenesque propositions had a happy postlude, a dhun of lively
improvisation of folk tunes….Such a master as Ustad Shamim Ahmed can ensure that you
come back, seeing yourself a little more clearly…..”
-
The Advertiser, Adelaide, Australia
“Unique chance for Port Elizabeth
to hear sitar master’s music….For his programme he selected three ragas in
different mood and mode: Raga Bihag, based on a major scale with emphasis on third and
seventh. Raga Megh Malhar, in a minor mode with obvious pentatonic leanings, and finally
Raga Kirwani, elaborating on the chromatic intervals of a harmonic minor scale. Throughout
the evening his playing showed that perfect blend of highest virtuousity and exceptional
imaginative power, that guarantees the spiritual and musical success of any raga
performance.”
-
Rupert Mayr. P.E. Herald, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Address:
Shamim Ahmed Khan
118-B, Madhuban Apts., P. K. Atre Marg
Worli Hill, Mumbai 400 018, India
Phone: +91-22-4937150