London, June 24: Noted Sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan mesmerised hundreds of spectators during at a festival in Scotland`s Orkney Island.

The audience of the St Magnus Festival, in turn, gave Khan a standing ovation for his extraordinarily entertaining fusion music of the east and the west. Performing at the festival`s inaugural concert - Samagam - on Friday, Khan and two of UK`s pioneering and young classical artists along with a world`s leading orchestra, reproduced a unique blend of music.

Samagam showcased a blend of Sarod, Cello, Concertante group and string orchestra, which included melodious tunes paying tributes to the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and
Rabindranath Tagore`s `Ekla Chalo`.

Festival director Glenys Hughes commented that the concert was a unique experiment by Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, David Murphy and Mathew Barley, both of Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

"Occasionally, a particular piece of music can inspire a festival`s theme. The Indian thread which runs through this year`s programme arose from the `Samagam` project involving the great Indian Sarod player, Amjad Ali Khan, the conductor David Murphy and Scottish Chamber Orchestra," Hughes said.
Later, Khan gave a solo recital at the festival`s second concert at the prestigious St Magnus cathedral in Kirkwall. Khan was accompanied by Satyajit Talwalkar on Tabla.

Bureau Report