Ustad Amjad Ali Khan to perform in NY

Especially composed for the concert, the musical tribute will be the opening piece in the nearly two-hour long performance by the threesome - senior Khan and his sons, Amaan and Ayaan.

"The opening piece of my performance will be a tribute to the Mahatma. It is a new piece that I have especially composed for the performance in New York keeping in mind the fact that we are celebrating the centenary of Gandhi's Satyagraha movement," he said.

He said by performing along with his sons, he wanted to convey a message that the sarod is a living tradition that is being passed on from one generation to another.

"Wherever I have performed in the world, I have taken my family along. There is a message in it for the world. The message is that our traditions are deep-rooted and are living," said the musician, who has performed all over the world, including the British House of Commons, Royal Festival Hall, London, Santury Hall, Japan and Opera House, Sydney.

Khan, who rates Carnegie Hall as one of his favourite concert halls in the world, said the upcoming performance will be divided into three parts.

While he will perform solo to start with, there will be a duet between Amaan and Ayaan in the second part. The grand finale will have the trio performing together.

On the kind of audience he has come across in New York, Khan said, "A large number of the people who come for my concert are Indians. But around 80 per cent of the people are westerners."

Khan travels next to London, where he will perform at the Royal Albert Hall on November 8.

"When I perform abroad, I go there as an ambassador for Indian culture. I take it upon myself to ensure that the respect for India and its culture grows. I do not get paid to do it. It is my moral duty," he said.