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Montino Bourbon · 24th August 2007, 05:02 AM

I started my study of music in 1967, and there was "The Guru", who in this case was Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, considered then, as now, to be the greatest musician of India: Other teachers; The "Advanced Students", and lastly (VERY lastly) beginners such as myself.

I stayed in that organization studying, and later teaching, for twelve years, and it was an amazing experience. At one point Khan-Sahib, as AAK was addressed, was asked by his father, Ustad Allauddin Khan (Who also was the teacher of such luminaries as Nikhil Bannerjee, one of the greatest sitarists in the world, as well as the very well-known Pandit Ravi Shankar) if he had accepted any of us as initiated disciples, he replied in the affirmative. His father then told him, "Teach them EVERYTHING!"

A very interesting experience indeed. I am sure that the esoteric aspects of that course of study are as arcane as the study of keris, in which I consider myself a fairly well-informed beginner.

24th August 2007, 05:02 AM	#2
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 295	Yeah, I think that I know how you felt... I started my study of music in 1967, and there was "The Guru", who in this case was Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, considered then, as now, to be the greatest musician of India: Other teachers; The "Advanced Students", and lastly (VERY lastly) beginners such as myself. I stayed in that organization studying, and later teaching, for twelve years, and it was an amazing experience. At one point Khan-Sahib, as AAK was addressed, was asked by his father, Ustad Allauddin Khan (Who also was the teacher of such luminaries as Nikhil Bannerjee, one of the greatest sitarists in the world, as well as the very well-known Pandit Ravi Shankar) if he had accepted any of us as initiated disciples, he replied in the affirmative. His father then told him, "Teach them EVERYTHING!" A very interesting experience indeed. I am sure that the esoteric aspects of that course of study are as arcane as the study of keris, in which I consider myself a fairly well-informed beginner.