Supreme Interpreter Of The Classical Sitar

Shakir Khan is one of the most promising young exponents of the legendary Etawah Gharana, energetically following in the musical footsteps of his prodigious father and guru - the sitar maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. Indeed, Shakir represents the eighth generational link in an unbroken chain of musical talent and tradition poured exclusively into the sitar and surbahar. A chain that includes, besides Ustadji, the musical legacy of Ustad Aziz Khan (Shakir’s paternal grandfather), and that of the patriarchal surbaharist Ustad Wahid Khan (Shakir’s great grandfather). He is also a close blood relative of the great Ustad Vilayat Khan.

As might be expected from such a pedigreed musician, his talent surfaced early in life, Shakir giving his first public performance at the age of eleven. Talent, however, is not enough to master the Indian classical tradition, and under the careful tutelage of his father, Shakir matured gradually through study, countless hours dedicated to practice (riyaaz) and frequent recitals.

The work paid off, and in recent years Shakir has performed brilliantly for prestigious music conferences in India including the Dover Lane Music Conference (Kolkata), Sawai Gandharva music festival Pune. the Saptak Music Festival (Ahmedabad), Bombay Festival (Mumbai), the Tansen Music Festival (Gwalior), the Shankarlal Music Festival (Delhi) and many more. He has also performed extensively worldwide, bringing the joy and subtlety of the Etawah Gharana to audiences in the US, Canada and Europe – the latter including a performance at the famous Woodstock Festival in Poland in 2008.