In the late 1960s, Ravi Shankar revealed India’s rich music traditions to the world as listeners increasingly looked east for illumination. He sought to share the music’s ancient beauty while also experimenting with its substance in revolutionary ways. Shankar considered his daughter Anoushka to be his greatest student, and from the age of seven she rigorously studied with him. At 13, she began her professional recording career; like her father, Anoushka respects the sitar’s heritage while activating it to articulate urgent matters and emotions. Her latest album, _Land of Gold_, is a commentary on the harsh conditions of the refugee crisis in Europe. Her original compositions reflect the migrants’ arduous journeys, the plight of those consumed by pitfalls along the way and the glimmers of hope in the darkness. Anoushka visits Open End this week to share music and give insight into her place in the musical continuum and path as a creative human.
