2008
Member Newsletter:
Dearest Friends,
Let us begin by offering our heartfelt gratitude for your past support. For forty-one years, the Ali Akbar College of Music has been immersing students of every level in the beautiful, complex, and utterly compelling tradition of Indian classical music. The experience our students receive is extremely rare, as they are given the opportunity to study with true masters, even as total beginners.
This past year has been a happy one for our school—we began, in earnest, the exciting process of archiving our vast collection of musical data to offer to the public in the form of an audio-visual library, as well as continuing our in-house concert series’, presenting a well-received free festival for the public, and beginning a monthly film night at the College. Additionally, we continue to present free concerts to K-12 schools with the help of the Marin Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation. To date, we have reached over 6,000 children.
Our annual concert series’ have taken place since 1978 and are run entirely by the students at the College. Loved by many, these concerts feature student performers who use the series as a chance to display what they have learned in the course of their studies, and to become accustomed with performing on a stage in front of an audience. These concerts allow them to perform in a peaceful, non-stressful environment, while still challenging them to play with the best of their abilities. The students at the Ali Akbar College of Music have become like a family over the years. We hope to contribute to their success by continuing to offer this exciting tradition.
Last month our campus overflowed with music lovers for our 4 th, free music festival featuring student and master performers. It is our great wish that we will be able to hold these free festivals whenever our funding allows us to, as it introduces the public to our beautiful tradition and inspires people to join our school and invest further interest in Indian classical music. Our goal is to pass on the majesty of the music—it is something that has captivated all of our hearts and has truly touched us, and that love and passion we have for this tradition is a gift we feel we must share.
This year we have also begun hosting free film nights at the College, on the last Friday of every month. We show historic concerts and documentary films that feature Ali Akbar Khan, Swapan Chaudhuri, and other master musicians of India. This has been great fun for the students and the public because it gives us a chance to see the masters performing again; this is a special treat many of our newer students were never able to experience.
It has been a great year, and we dearly hope that this next year continues to allow us to keep our tradition healthy and alive. Unfortunately, love and dedication alone cannot fund all of our projects and ambitions, and we are in dire need of donations and support from our friends. We know in these challenging economic times we may have to make choices. However, it is precisely during these times that we all need the exquisite and profound music this tradition continues to provide. If you can spare anything, we would greatly appreciate it. Of course, your non-monetary support is warmly welcomed as well; your ideas and time are very valuable to us. The goal here is to allow the Ali Akbar College to thrive, and to spread this music to everyone we can reach. Sharing, in any form, will be the power that moves us forward and preserves our tradition!
Thank you all for your continued support.
Sincerely,
The Ali Akbar College of Music Staff
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