A classical touch

With summer around the corner, there's bound to be plenty of entertainment for music afficionados. And to kick start the festivities on the classical route will be a concert by Sitar Maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan. The concert is being organised by some young Canadians whose main focus is to raise awareness about South Asian heritage, more specifically about classical music.

The Sitar itself is famous for being associated with Ravi Shankar, Sixties legends The Beatles as well as more recently, with Anoushka Shankar. The Shankars performed here last year and the concert was breath-taking, and made me look at the Sitar with renewed respect. This concert is another opportunity to listen to the sheer majesty of the Sitar. Whether you listen to classical  music on a regular basis or not, this concert with Ustad Shahid Parvez should be a fascinating experience, on account of his vast musical knowledge and his natural ability to connect with his audience.

Having been actively involved in training young Canadians in this ancient and revered art form, Ustad Shahid Parvez is a wonderful representative for this cause. He will be performing with Toronto-based artist Vineet Vyas and Montreal-based Shubhojyoti Guha on April 5th, 2008 at the Medical Sciences Auditorium at the University of Toronto. The concert is part of Ustad Parvez's North American tour which boasts of over 20 concerts.

It is important that concerts like these are supported because they give the audience a glimpse of the arts that our community is known for. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the Sitar itself, apart from merely knowing about Ravi or Anoushka Shankar. Despite popular notion, classical music has many takers in this city and I know of several talented musicians who take great pride in being a proponent of classical music - vocal or instrumental.

Apart from the concert itself, there is a free lecture-demonstration on the basics of Indian Classical Music. This will be held at 5.30 PM before the concert. To participate in the workshop, please contact Ipshi Kamal at ipshi.kamal@gmail.com or call her on 613.255.3557 to book your spot. Thanks to events like this, classical music is alive and kicking in Toronto. LISTEN UP! to Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan.