Ustad Ustad, ustadh, ustaz or ustadz (abbreviated as Ust., Ut. or Ud.; from Persian language, Persian ''ustād'') is an honorific title used in West Asia, North Africa, Central Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is used in various languages, incl ...

Shahid Parvez Khan (commonly known as Shahid Parvez; born 14 October 1954) is an Indian classical

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

maestro from the

Imdadkhani gharana The Etawah gharana is a North Indian school of sitar and surbahar music and named after a small town close to Agra where Imdad Khan (1848–1920) lived. It is also known as Imdadkhani gharana in the honour of its founder, Imdad Khan. Imdad Kha ...

. He represents the seventh generation of the

Etawah Gharana The Etawah gharana is a North Indian school of sitar and surbahar music and named after a small town close to Agra where Imdad Khan (1848–1920) lived. It is also known as Imdadkhani gharana in the honour of its founder, Imdad Khan. Imdad K ...

as its primary exponent. He is praised especially for the vocalistic phrasing and quality of his raga improvisations, known as "Gayaki Ang." This translates to "singing branch/limb" ("branch" and "limb" referring here to musical style). The sitar legend Ustad

Vilayat Khan Ustad Vilayat Khan (28 August 1928 – 13 March 2004) was an Indian classical sitar player, considered by many to be the greatest sitarist of his age. Along with Imdad Khan, Enayat Khan, and Imrat Khan, he is credited with the creation a ...

resurrected and re-introduced Gayaki Ang as a widely accepted sitar genre in India and abroad, and his nephew, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, has carried this torch into the present day.

Early life

Born in

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

, India, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan was trained by his father Ustad Aziz Khan, who was the son of the sitar and

surbahar ''Surbahar'' (; ) sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music of the Indian subcontinent. It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower pitch. Depending on the instrument's size, i ...

player

Wahid Khan Wahid Khan (born 1895 died ?) was an Indian surbahar and sitar player. He was the son of Imdad Khan and belonged to the Imdadkhani gharana or '' Etawah gharana'' of classical music. Early life Wahid Khan was born in 1895 at Etawah, Uttar ...

. As is the custom among musical families with a storied lineage, Aziz Khan first initiated his son into vocal music and tabla before training him on the Sitar over many years. Shahid's uncle, Hafeez Khan (a prominent singer and surbahar/sitar player), also trained him. He also trained extensively in the art of tabla for over 10 years under Munnu Khan of the

Delhi Gharana The Delhi or Dilli Gharana, is a tabla traditional playing style, "regarded by many as the fountainhead of all the tabla gharanas" and known for being the first and oldest gharana playing style of tabla. It also is one of the six most common sty ...

. His family has produced many instrumentalists in Hindustani classical music including

Imdad Khan Ustad Imdad Khan (1848 – 1920) was a sitar and surbahar player. He was the first sitar player ever to be recorded.Enayat Khan Ustad Enayat Khan (; (1894–1938) also known as Nath Singh was one of India's most influential sitar and surbahar players in the first decades of the 20th century. He was the father of Vilayat Khan, one of the top sitariyas (sitar players) of ...

(his grandfather) and

Performing career

Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan has performed in all major musical festivals in India and abroad including the ''Festival of India'' held in the US, Europe, USSR, Canada, Africa, Middle East and Australia. He has a distinguished performance career in India and around the world. A major Indian English-language newspaper says he is "considered Indian classical music personified and a synonym for the sitar. A leading exponent of the Etawah gharana, which produced legends like Imdad Khan, Enayat Khan and Vilayat Khan, Shahid Parvez is known for his rendition". The French-language publication ''Le Devoir'', based in Montréal, Canada, says this about the Ustad:

Students

Ustad Shahid Parvez's notable students include Shakir Khan and Sameep Kulkarni.

Awards and honours

* Kalajyoti Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) *

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (IAST: Saṅgīta Nāṭaka Akādamī Puraskāra), also known as the Akademi Puraskar, is an award given by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Music, Dance & Drama. It is the highest Indian recogni ...

in 2006 *

Padma Shri The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...

Award in 2012 * AIR – Top Grade artist * Sur Shringaar *

Kumar Gandharva Samman The Kumar Gandharva Samman is an Indian annual award for outstanding talent in the field of music established by the government of Madhya Pradesh in 1992. It is named after Kumar Gandharva, a classical singer. Selection criteria Performers of ...

* M. L. Koser Award

References

External links

The official website of Ustad Shahid Parvez KhanThe official music academy of Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parvez, Shahid 1958 births

Hindustani instrumentalists Indian Muslims Living people Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award Sitar players Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts