This message from The Herb Alpert School of Music Dean Volker Straebel and World Music Program Directors Andrew Grueschow and Yeko Ladzekpo-Cole was sent to the CalArts community about the passing of noted North Indian classical musician and longtime School of Music faculty Aashish Khan.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 12:30 pm at Conejo Mountain Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Camarillo. All are welcome to attend.
Dear CalArts Community,
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Music faculty member Aashish Khan. Aashish Da passed away peacefully on Thursday, Nov. 14 surrounded by family, friends, and former students.
Aashish Da, the son of Ali Akbar Khan, came from a family lineage whose name is synonymous with North Indian classical music. His career spanned several decades and included many auspicious honors and collaborations. Among his honors were receiving the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2004, a Grammy Award nomination in 2006 for Best Traditional World Music album (Golden Strings of the Sarod), and becoming the first ever Indian classical musician to become a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
His collaborations included working with Ravi Shankar, The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Alice Coltrane, John Handy, and Sultan Khan, among many other notable musicians. Aashish Da was also the founder of Shanti, an Indo-American music group.
In addition to his many years of teaching at CalArts, Aashish Da also taught at UC Santa Cruz, Ali Akbar College of Music, University of Alberta, and the University of Washington. Many of his students have gone on to illustrious careers in their own right.
As we mourn his passing, we take comfort in his amazing legacy of music, and his adventurous spirit of creativity and collaboration. With his work as our inspiration, we will find ways of honoring and celebrating Aashish Da’s life as we carry his legacy forward.
Volker Straebel
Dean of The Herb Alpert School of Music
Andrew Grueschow and Yeko Ladzekpo-Cole
Program Directors World Music
