Heritage & legacy: Sarod musician Alam Khan brings classical, contemporary Indian music to Casa Rondeña

It took a global pandemic to help Alam Khan appreciate concert performance.

“Here we were, locked down in our homes, and I was performing virtual events,” Khan explained. “While it was great to continue to perform music, there was something missing. I didn’t have the ability to interact with an audience. Being in a live performance space, it’s raw, and you never know what to expect. You don’t get time to redo anything. There’s nothing more freeing. That’s what my personality likes.”

Khan grew up playing the sarod – a stringed instrument, used in Hindustani music on the Indian subcontinent – where he was trained classically under the supervision of his father, Ali Akbar Khan, one of the most influential figures in Indian classical music.

Over the course of his career, the 42-year-old musician has navigated his own path within classical and contemporary Indian music.

In September 2023, he released “The Resonance Between,” which was an album that featured Arjun K. Verma and the Del Sol Quartet.

Khan belongs to the Senia Maihar Gharana, a school of music founded by his grandfather, Ustad Allauddin Khan.

This gharana emphasizes the sarod and has produced several renowned musicians. His father, Ali Akbar Khan, was a virtuoso sarod player and composer. He played a pivotal role in popularizing Indian classical music globally.

Khan is grateful to received rigorous training in the sarod from his father, starting at a young age.

His education included both traditional ragas and compositions as well as innovative approaches. He also studied Western music theory and composition, which influenced his unique musical perspective.

“My entire life has been filled with education,” he said. “It’s the one constant that continues to push me. I want to learn more. I want to push myself in new directions and compose those pieces with full intent.”

Khan and Verma are set to perform a two-hour event at Animante de Rondeña at Casa Rondeña Winery, 733 Chavez Road NW, in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque.

The event will showcase the duo’s music, as well as a wine reception, hors d’oeuvres, authentic Indian cuisine and Animante port-style wine and dessert.

Animante de Rondeña opened earlier this summer and is a passion project for Casa Rondeña Winery founder John Calvin.

The event space was built so the community can educate and introduce new experiences that embody the artistic spirit of the grounds.

“We are very passionate about art and music, history and architecture, Calvin said. “We aim to make life better in our community through our passion for these things. The very roots and inspiration for Animante de Rondeña and Casa Rondeña are defined and even codified by the music of Alam Khan. I look forward to sharing this experience with our community.”

Khan is looking forward to returning to Albuquerque to perform. He last performed at Casa Rondeña prior to the pandemic and enjoyed his time.

“The space is otherworldly,” he said. “It gives me an opportunity to completely get into where I want to be when I perform. I always like coming there. This time I’m bringing another student of my father who is on sitar.”

Khan and Verma will perform pieces from “The Resonance Between,” there may be some newer pieces thrown into the performance.

“I always have something that I’m working on,” Khan said “I have bits and pieces of songs. I’m working on new music and conceptualizing some ideas. I will have some music coming out with my brother.”

All of his life, Khan has found a balance between his Indian heritage and growing up in the United States.

When he was younger, he only played classical music and kept it separate from all of his other ideas.

“I am part of two worlds,” he said. “I grew up with American culture and found how to make it work being of mixed culture and mixed race. Everything in my life has happened in the moment and I settle into my choices. This helps me grow and improve in the traditional sense.”