After playing, composing, and touring with the legendary Yo-Yo Ma, Sandeep Das was inspired to connect the world’s neighborhoods through music. Based on his strong belief that no one can afford to live isolated lives, Das says, “The more we share and care about one another’s culture and heritage, the stronger we grow.”

In this collaboration, he brings together the intoxicating raga music of India with the magical maqam music of Arabia. Interwoven through the dexterous and aesthetic rhythms of the Indian tabla and sarangi are the Arabian melodies of the oud. Joining him at sarangi, will be Suhail Yusuf Khan, and Kenan Adnawi, an oud virtuoso from Syria.

Preceding the performance, guests will enjoy Humayun’s Tomb, a short video on the first monumental mausoleum of India. Restoration work for this 16th-century garden tomb, the jewel of Mughal architecture that predates the Taj Mahal, was undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.

About Sandeep Das

Grammy nominee Sandeep Das is considered one of the leading tabla players in the world today. Debuting at the age of 15 with the sitar maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar, Das started touring outside of India in 1990. He was the All-India tabla champion three years in a row and is the youngest tabla player ever to be graded by All-India radio.

Das is a 21st century's musician who has been able to bridge the gap between the East and the West successfully. The proof of his exceptional collaborative abilities can be found from 16 years of experience in composing and performing with the Legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma and The Silk Road Ensembles, The New York Philharmonic, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and The Boston Symphony Orchestra.

His concerts have taken him to major centers of music around the globe including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Royce Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, Hollywood Bowl, the Kennedy Center, and the Concertgebouw. He has played for world-class occasions, such as the celebration of 150 years of the United Nations at the General Assembly Hall in NYC; opening ceremony of the Special Olympics in Shanghai; and the opening ceremony of the first Asia Expo in Kunming, China. He has also performed for visiting dignitaries, such as the Queen of England, the Queen of Thailand, the Pope, and many other heads of state.

Das is a cultural and educational entrepreneur. He founded HUM (Harmony and Universality through Music), an ensemble of elite artists whose goal is to promote global understanding through musical performance and education. He is regularly invited to teach at Harvard University, and has now taught at Darmouth University for a semester in 2016. 

Das currently resides in Boston, USA.

About the Aga Khan Trust for Culture

The Aga Khan Trust for Culture is the cultural agency of the Aga Khan Development Network. It undertakes a wide range of activities aimed at preservation and promotion of the material and spiritual heritage of Muslim societies. The Aga Khan Trust for Culture maintains that major heritage sites are important to restore, as they are a significant part of Muslim history and identity. Furthermore, besides allowing citizens to visit and reclaim their history, they can be tourist attractions, helping to explain a country's culture and providing funds to maintain the sites as well as encouraging economic activity and revitalization of neighboring areas.

Bank of America is presenting sponsor of Performing Arts & Culture programs. Generous funding also provided by AARP, Nancy C. Allen, CNOOC-NEXEN, the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, The Clayton Fund, the Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, and Mickey Rosenau & Dr. Ellen Gritz. Funding is also provided from Friends of Performing Arts & Culture at Asia Society Texas Center, a premier group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming to Houston. The program is presented in collaboration with His Highness the Aga Khan Council for the Southwestern United States and Houston Arts Alliance.

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