Washington: Entering the 70th year of his eventful life, Indian sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan is enjoying a bit of "musical flirtation" to connect the world and bring peace and harmony amidst conflict.
"I feel life has just begun. It has found a new direction," the great musician representing the sixth generation of the legendary Senia Bangash School of music told IANS over the phone from New York on turning 69 on Oct 9.
Khan has been on a "successful rewarding" US West Coast tour with his talented sons, Amaan and Ayaan, since Sep 6.
Collaborating with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Khan has written the score for a 'Sarod Concerto' called 'Samaagam', Hindi for confluence, that was performed by 50 musicians in Edinburgh church.
Published under Harmonia Mundi's World Village label, 'Samaagam' was also played from the written score by the National Orchestra of France last December when he was on a tour of France.
And when Britten Sinfonia, one of the world's most celebrated chamber orchestra ensembles based in Cambridge, toured India recently, the Khan trio played with them.
Khan said his father Haafiz Ali Khan, who taught him music, used to say, "become a complete musician."
"As a child I didn't understand what he meant. Now I am beginning to see that a 'complete musician' is one who can see good points in every system of music," he said.
He admired great European musicians like Beethoven, Bach, Mozart or Tchaikovsky and how with their system of harmonization with counterpoint 150 musicians collectively produce beautiful music.
"This could not grow in India," lamented Khan. "We don't have an orchestra of international level because everyone in our country wants to become the prime minister."
"We don't care much for collective work. Everyone wants to be a solo musician," he said.
But "the influence of collective work lasts for centuries." That's why he had written 'Samaagam' that anyone can play anywhere.