Sarod Masters Amaan & Ayaan: From Grammys to Tigers

The first two months of the year have been incredibly blessed for sarod duo Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, marked by a Grammy win and a musical tribute to India's tigers. Their Grammy success came with an audiobook, 'Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama,' which celebrates compassion and other universal values.

In collaboration with WWF-India, the brothers have released 'Celebrating Our Tigers,' a passion project inspired by their children's interest in wildlife. This seven-track album celebrates various tiger reserves across India, with each region represented by its folk music.

Experimentation and audience engagement are key to their artistic philosophy. They believe in organic collaborations and aim to connect with audiences as friends, rather than maintaining a performer-audience divide. This approach has allowed them to explore new avenues for the sarod.

Regarding the guru-shishya tradition, Amaan views students as younger friends, suggesting the traditional format is evolving. He believes discipleship can be spiritual, not just physical, a sentiment echoed by Ayaan who notes that carrying forward a guru's music is the highest form of respect.

Family remains paramount for the Bangash brothers, with home and quality time with loved ones taking precedence. Their children are also increasingly involved in music, even performing with them and contributing creatively by introducing them to contemporary music trends.