The Alden in McLean to Welcome Ustad Shafaat Khan, 10/19

The Alden in McLean presents its first musical performance of the 2013-2014 season on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. with a rare performance by Indian classical/folk musician Ustad Shafaat Khan, the first known artist to attain simultaneous excellence in performing the sitar, surbahar and tabla. Due to visa issues, Khan's brother, sarod-player Ustad Wajahat Khan, will be replaced by Rishi Mahrotra on tabla, Sara Thomson on vocal/violin/guitar, Paul Rosato on guitar, and Alex Tewnion on tempura for a concert that brings together the Indian classical and folk music traditions with Western rock music.

Tickets are $27 for the general public and $18 for MCC tax district residents; patrons can purchase tickets at a $5 discount before Thursday, Sept. 19. The theatre is located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue, inside the McLean Community Center.

Audience members can hear three of India's most ancient and entrancing instruments-the sitar (a plucked, string instrument), surbahar (bass sitar) and tabla (drums)-played with the energy and elegance of a true master when Khan comes to perform at The Alden. Praised as a "virtuoso" by The Washington Post, Khan is a descendent of one of the most distinguished musical families in Indian history. His father, Ustad Imrat Khan, and his uncle, Ustad Vilayat Khan, are just two of the many legendary sitar players connected to a dynasty that reaches back to the days of the Mughal emperors.

In recent years, Khan has branched out in his own direction by playing Western popular music. He collaborated with Stevie Wonder at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. In addition, some of his CDs have been produced by Dr. Deepak Chopra. His unique concert presentations include Indian classical/folk music on sitar, tabla and vocals, Sufi-inspired compositions and a multicultural fusion ranging from western classical, jazz, flamenco rock/pop to African rhythms.

Tickets are on sale now. Discounts are available to seniors, students, groups of eight or more, or to patrons who purchase their tickets a month or more in advance of the date of the performance. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit: www.aldentheatre.org or call 703-790-0123, TTY: 711.

Built in 1975, the 383-seat Robert Ames Alden Theatre, "The Alden," is a cultural resource for the citizens of McLean and the Washington Metropolitan area that presents a full professional season of interdisciplinary and high-quality performances, lectures and educational programs for audiences of all ages. The Alden is ADA-compliant and will make arrangements for accommodations.

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