Ustad Irshad Khan

Ustad Irshad Khan hails from the esteemed Imdadkhani sitar gharana – named for his great-grandfather – alongside greats such as Ustad Shahid Parvez, Ustad Vilayat Khan (his uncle), and Ustad Imrat Khan (Irshad’s father). His ancestors gave shape to the modern sitar, customising the design and mastering gayaki ang (singing style). Irshad made his UK debut at the tender age of 13, and lives in Canada today, playing and teaching sitar and surbahar around the world.

Irshad Khan’s association with the Darbar Festival has been significant, with two performances in 2008, first with tabla maestro Yogesh Samsi, and later with the versatile percussionist Sukhvinder Singh. He returned to Darbar in 2015, performing twice: once with Shahbaz Hussain and again with Sanju Sahai. These performances showcased his mastery over the sitar and surbahar and cemented his place as a prominent figure in the Indian classical music scene.

“I believe music isn’t just to shake one’s hips to. If one’s soul dances along with the movement in the hips, that’s when the music has truly gotten into the individual. And this in true terms is good music!”

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