Sarod Maestros Reflect on Grammy Triumph and Musical Evolution
For sarod virtuosos Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, the first two months of this year have been nothing short of extraordinary. A Grammy Award victory, an innovative rock collaboration, and the release of a musical tribute to India's tigers have marked what they describe as an already "blessed year." Despite their expanding soundscape across diverse genres, the brothers remain firmly anchored to one core belief: legacy must be earned through dedication and humility.
Basement Conversations: Legacy Over Accolades
In the basement of their Delhi residence, surrounded by posters of their legendary father, sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, the duo speaks less about personal achievements and more about artistic responsibility. "It has already been a blessed year for Ayaan and me," says Amaan. "I believe that one's resume should keep growing, but there is no need to talk about your resume. My father has always taught us one thing – don't brag. Don't milk it. Let it go."
Addressing their recent Grammy win for the audiobook Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ayaan adds, "The audiobook celebrates compassion, humility, kindness and oneness, which is so needed in the world. So, it was really a blessing that it won the Grammy."
Celebrating Tigers: A Passion-Driven Conservation Project
Marking their association with WWF-India as Goodwill Ambassadors, the sarod maestros have released a seven-track album titled Celebrating Our Tigers. Ayaan explains, "This was entirely a passion-driven project. I have to give credit to my twins, Abeer and Zohaan, who are now 13. Their growing interest in wildlife shaped the idea."
Amaan reveals that their journeys into the jungle began with a desire to draw children closer to nature. "Living in Delhi, you see a lot of kids getting into cars and watches. I've always told them to be close to nature. Not realizing that being a wildlife enthusiast was an expensive affair," he says with a laugh.
About the album, which took approximately ten months to develop, Ayaan notes, "We wanted to celebrate every terrain, every reserve. From Sundarbans and Pench to Ranthambore, each region is identified with its folk music."
Audience Engagement: The Heart of Performance
For the brother duo, artistic experimentation should occur organically. Ayaan states, "There is a lot of appetite for interesting collaborations. You need to know how much is too much and how little is too little."
Echoing this sentiment, Amaan shares, "My father always says, 'don't be the best, be the most loved person.' Once the audience connects with you, they start accepting you in different forms that you're experimenting with."
They emphasize a crucial distinction between performing and engaging. "On the stage, one is an entertainer. But it is important to be an engager. Engaging the audience is very important; the idea is that the audience becomes your best friend. That cut-off – that I am this, you are that – that doesn't work," Amaan explains.
After nearly four decades of performing, the emotional bond with their audience runs deep. "People have grown up listening to you. Many have heard my father and even my grandfather. There is an emotional connection with the music. But at the end of the day, what matters is what you do up there. You have to deliver, with gratitude and humility," Amaan reflects.
Evolving Traditions: The Modern Guru-Shishya Dynamic
In classical music tradition, where lineage is sacred, the definition of a true disciple remains a layered debate. Addressing recent discussions about discipleship, Amaan offers, "There are two forms of disciples. One is like Ekalavya, who never formally learnt from Dronacharya, yet he was a disciple. Then there was Arjuna, who learnt directly from him. Both were great warriors. So there are two kinds of disciples, one in the spiritual sense and one in the physical sense. Both honour the guru in their own way."
Ayaan adds, "My father has many spiritual disciples. They may not always take his name, but they play his music. And at some level, that itself is the highest form of salutation and respect, to carry forward his music."
About the traditional guru-shishya parampara, Amaan observes, "I don't believe in the guru-shishya format anymore. This is a new India. Students see everything today, what you eat, or what you post. So, I see them as younger friends. Aao, suno, seekho."
Ayaan elaborates, "Today, the music room is not a physical space anymore, it is where the guru is essentially."
Family First: The Foundation of Their Art
For the Bangash brothers, family always takes precedence. Amaan, who once loved going out, now finds comfort at home. He states, "For me, family is above music. Conversations about music happen naturally within that familial space. I value being home, working, and spending quality time with Amma, Abba, bhai, and bachche. That's the truth of life. I am comfortable in my space."
Ayaan shares, "When we perform the Sarod Quintet with the children, the whole family travels together. That's a blessing. They've already performed at venues like the Kennedy Centre and Wigmore Hall and received so much love. I tell them to practise and stay humble. They also contribute creatively. Their exposure to different genres keeps us updated. My father knows about many pop groups, like BTS, because of them."
Boundary-Pushing Collaborations: Rock and Beyond
Performing with rock artist Yungblud recently was a spontaneous experience. Ayaan recalls, "Dominic was requesting that we have a whole rehearsal one day before. But that couldn't happen. So we just got on a call, and he told us, 'We're going to have fun. We're going to kill it.' It was wonderful to see this kind of audience in Mumbai celebrating rock. We were thrilled. We have always tried to push the envelope for sarod and classical music into new avenues, but without much planning. This just happened."
More exciting projects are on the horizon, including a track titled The Mountain by Gorillaz. Ayaan reveals, "It's a great honour to be a part of the same track as Asha Bhosle ji. It needed the Gorillaz to get us with Asha ji together."
The brothers conclude with a powerful reflection on artistic responsibility. "The best part about the creative line is that you're not answerable to anyone. You're answerable only to yourself – your discipline, your health, your sense of responsibility. Your one-hour performance on stage is a reflection of the 23 hours that you are not on the stage," they affirm, embodying the humility and dedication that defines their musical journey.
