Mission Statement

Set firmly in the teaching traditions of India, the Shahid Parvez Khan Academy of Music strives to produce more than mere students, but performers in their own right, capable of disseminating the pedigreed heritage embodied in Ustadji's life and music to the New World. Standing at the very heart of this tradition is the ever-evolving relationship between the Ustad (Guru) and his shagird (shishya, student).  The Academy fosters this relationship, in the knowledge that without it the musical brilliance and spiritual pulse of the classical raag is lost. Ustadji nurtures this relationship with every student at the Academy, from the beginner to the most advanced, with a subtle admixture of pedagogical foresight, humor and human kindness that helps turn the rigors of learning into sheer delight.

About Ustad ji

Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, affectionately called "Ustadji" by his students, descends from six generations of sitarists. He is one of the leading exponents of the Etawah Gharana, a musical tradition or "family" committed to this most famous of Indian instruments. He was trained by his father and guru, Ustad Aziz Khan.

About The Academy

The Shahid Parvez Khan Academy of Music is dedicated to providing the finest quality of sitar training in North America. The Academy hosts Ustadji in cities across the continent including Phoenix, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Albany, Detroit and Ottawa. Students meet regularly in these hubs for intensive workshops with Ustadji. In his absence, Ustadji's senior students provide regular guidance to encourage discipline, continuity and progress