Ustad Ali Akbar Khan was one of the most accomplished Indian classical musicians, admired all over the world for his brilliant compositions and his mastery of the sarode. Ustad Ali Akbar Khan is considered by many as the "Indian Johann Sebastian Bach."
Background
Ali Akbar Khan was born on April 14, 1922 in the village of Shibpur, Comilla, in present-day Bangladesh (then East Bengal), to Baba Allauddin Khan and Madina Begum. Khan began his studies in vocal and instrumental music at very early age under his father. He also studied drums from his uncle, Fakir Aftabuddin.Allauddin Khan trained him on several instruments, but decided finally that he must concentrate on the sarod. After years of rigorous training he gave his debut performance in his mid-teens. Khan became the court musician of the royal family of Jodhpur at the age of 22.
Education
Khan began studying voice with his father and drums with his uncle at the age of three. His father trained him on many instruments but decided that he must concentrate on voice and on the sarod. Khan practiced the complex instrument 18 hours a day for the next 20 years.
Career
His professional career hs been very rich. His first public performance was in Allahabad in at the age of 13. He made his first recording when he was only in his 20s. As a young man he was made the court musician to the Maharaja of Jodhpur. He retained this position however for only three years; his service came to an end with the death of the Maharaja.
Ali Akbar made his first trip to the United States in 1955. This tour was one of the factors that would lead to the popular acceptance of Indian music during the 1960s. It is said that his TV performance during this period was the first public broadcast of Indian music in the US.
Ali Akbar's long career has been rich indeed. He has performed and composed music for numerous films. Two notable ones are Satyajit Ray's "Devi", and Bernardo Bertolucci's "Little Buddha".
Religion
This family's association with the Hindu goddess Maa Sharda in the Sharda Temple of Maihar has been known to all for generations.