Interview:

Here are some of my thoughts on the connection of spirituality and our music: I can only speak of Indian classical music, being the genre that I have been involved with for seven generations. Once again, this is my personal opinion that may differ from those of others. For me, Indian classical music is tradition, culture, and spirituality all put together. It is an extension of our language, song, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. As a performer, one needs to be aware that my performance or involvement with music is not only spiritual; it has elements of what we call “khayal” (thoughts) and when you allow your thoughts to flow and your imagination freedom of speech, you go through millions of thoughts which are not essentially spiritual. So, in performance, one would hear spirituality but also sensuality, technicality, and many different emotions rushing through a person’s mind and heart. Apart from performance, spirituality is a constant factor in the thought and expression of Indian classical music. Our pains and sorrows the Sub Continent’s understanding of dealing with difficulties, our happiness, our resilience, our will to laugh, to live, to survive, is all possible if one understands the strength that spirituality gives when combined with music. To understand and see the connection of spirituality and music, one needs only to travel to the Sub Continent and feel the connection not only in our musical lives but in our daily lives in language, song, and thought.

“For me, Indian classical music is tradition, culture, and spirituality all put together. It is an extension of our language, song, thoughts, feelings, and emotions.”
– Shujaat Husain Khan, sitarist