Alam Khan & Salar Nader
2026-04-18 20:00 - 22:00 UTC | Aga Khan Museum, 77 Wynford Dr,, North York, Ontario, M3C 1K1, Canada
Raag-Mala Toronto and the Aga Khan Museum co-present Alam Khan & Salar Nader

Hear history come alive through the sarod and tabla with Alam Khan and Salar Nader — a duo redefining tradition while honouring centuries of musical heritage. Drawing from the profound teachings of their legendary gurus, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain, they weave a mesmerizing tapestry of melody and rhythm that resonates across cultures and generations.
Let their captivating rhythms carry you through intricate tabla patterns and the soul-stirring tones of the sarod in a celebration of lineage, mastery, and the enduring power of music to connect us all. Don’t miss an evening where ancient ragas from the courts of Emperor Akbar come alive through contemporary interpretations, and where virtuosity meets heartfelt expression.

Tickets:Regular $50Raag-Mala Member/AKM Friend: $45Senior/Student: $37.50

Tickets will be reserved for Raag-Mala Benefactors/Patrons

Two-time Grammy-nominated artist Alam Khan, Khalifa of the Seni Maihar Gharana and son of the late legendary maestro of the Sarod, Swara Samrat Ali Akbar Khan, has been captivating audiences worldwide for over 20 years. Since beginning his training at the age of seven, Alam was fortunate to learn in the traditional style of Guru and Shishya (teacher and student) under the careful guidance of his father. The influence of Ali Akbar Khan’s teachings is evident in every note Alam plays, as well as in his imaginative interpretations of ancient ragas passed down from the courts of Emperor Akbar through Mian Tansen in the 16th century.

Alam’s performance career took off when he began accompanying his father on international stages from 1996 to 2006. During this period, he performed at prestigious venues such as the Royal Jodhpur Palace, the Dover Lane Music Festival in Calcutta, New York’s Lincoln Center Jazz Festival, and in highly acclaimed concerts across the United States, Canada, Europe, and India.
While accompanying his father, Alam’s solo career began to take shape in 1998, and since then he has established himself as the true heir to Ali Akbar Khan’s legacy. As one of the leading Sarod players of the Maihar Gharana, Alam has received praise from musical icons such as Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, and Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta, among many of India’s finest musicians.Alam has had the privilege of performing alongside some of India’s greatest Tabla masters, including Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Ustad Zakir Hussain, and Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, at renowned venues around the world.

In addition to his classical work, Alam has collaborated with a diverse array of artists across various genres, including the Grammy-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band, Vijay Iyer, Blake Mills, Anoushka Shankar, Karsh Kale, Beats Antique, Bob Weir, The San Francisco Symphony, Del Sol Quartet, and Jack Perla, among others. He is also a founding member of the genre-bending group Grand Tapestry and the primary composer of The Resonance Between.

Alam served as his father’s personal assistant in his final years, helping with teaching at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California—a hub for students and lovers of Indian classical music.
Following his father’s passing in 2009, Alam became the Head of Indian Classical Instrumental Studies at the Ali Akbar College of Music (AACM). He is dedicated to preserving, performing, and sharing the rich tradition of Indian classical music with the world, while helping it flourish in the modern age.

A standout artist of his generation, tabla virtuoso Salar Nader is recognized as a global ambassador weaving South Asian arts into the musical traditions of his Afghanistan heritage. A percussionist, composer, and producer, Nader has studied under Ustad Zakir Hussain since the age of seven. He has toured widely with Stanley Clarke, Kronos Quartet, Wu Man, Miles From India; Central Asian master musicians Homayoun Sakhi and Abbos Kosimovj; and legendary Indian classical musicians including Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Selva Ganesh, Alam Khan, Rahul Sharma, and many others. He has performed and recorded with contemporary and electronic artists including Cheb i Sabbah, Niyaz, and Grand Tapestry.

NEW DATE: Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande LIVE at Aga Khan Museum
2026-04-23 20:00 - 22:30
Dear Friends,
We are pleased to announce that the rescheduled performance by Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande will now take place at the Aga Khan Museum on Thursday April 23, 2026, at 8 pm.

Your ticket and seat will be automatically transferred to this new date.

If you are no longer able to attend, you may contact info@agakhanmuseum.org to:

Credit the cost of the ticket to your account for use toward future ticketed events, admission, or performances. It will remain in your account until you use it and does not expire.
Request a refund to the credit card used to buy your ticket.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Your understanding and support are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to enjoying the performance with you on April 23.

Sincerely,

The Raag-Mala Team & Aga Khan Museum

Raag-Mala Toronto, in partnership with the Aga Khan Museum, is proud to present Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande on Thursday April 23rd at 8pm at the Aga Khan Museum – Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium
Ashwini ji will be accompanied on tabla by Sanjay Deshpande and on harmonium by Siddhesh Bicholkar
TICKETS:
Balcony: $50Orchestra: $60Raag-Mala Member Discount: 10%
A limited number of $20 student tickets will be available for purchase directly from Raag-Mala Toronto. Please email raagmalatoronto@gmail.com for details.

Raag-Mala Benefactors & Patrons:If you are unable to attend a concert, pass your complimentary tickets to a friend!To help us assign seats, you may be contacted to confirm attendance

Vidushi Ashwini Bhide Deshpande is an outstanding vocalist and leading torchbearer of the famed “Jaipur-Atrauli” gharana. She was awarded the Padma Shree in 2025 for her contribution to the arts.
She trained initially under Pandit Narayanrao Datar and later, under her mother Srimati Manik Bhide. Ashwiniji has won numerous awards, including “Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar”, which was conferred on the occasion of Panditji’s 75th birthday and the “Kumar Gandharva Samman” by the Government of Madhya Pradesh – the first female Hindustani vocalist to have been decorated with this prestigious national award. Ashwiniji has numerous recordings to her credit and is the author of “Ragarachananjali”, a much-lauded book of her self-composed bandishes. She has performed at all prestigious music conferences In India and abroad. She last performed on the Aga Khan Museum stage in 2019, and we are delighted to have this artist, at the height of her music career, present a concert of raag sangeet.
Sanjay Deshpande started learning tabla under Late Pt. Sabade; later he took taleem from Taalyogi Pt. Suresh Talwalkar of Delhi-Farookabad Gharana and received guidance from the maestro Ud. Alla Rakha Khan. Sanjay continues his studies under Pt. Yogesh Samsi and Pt. Vivek Joshi. He is a recipient of the coveted “Ahmedjaan Thirakwa Scholarship” for solo performance, and has accompanied senior artists such as Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Vidushi. Malini Rajurkar, Dr. Prabha Atre, Pt. Dinkar Kaikini, and Vidushi Ashwini Bhide.
Siddhesh Bicholkar has been learning music since childhood and has been privileged to receive guidance from Shri Sharad Mathkar and Pt. Tulsidas Borkar, renowned Harmonium exponent and Guru. He has been the recipient of many eminent music scholarships including from the Government of India.
