Reflektor Anoushka Shankar

Indian music between tradition and modernity – from ragas to electronics

It certainly wasn't and isn't always easy having the country's most famous musician as a father. But Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of legendary sitar virtuoso, composer, teacher and cultural ambassador Ravi Shankar, carries on her father's legacy in her own remarkable way. At the »Reflektor«, Anoushka Shankar chooses the programme in the Elbphilharmonie over the space of four days. Among the guests are artists from very different genres who have accompanied her for many years.

As one of today's best sitar players, Anoushka Shankar carries the traditional sounds of the Indian subcontinent out into the world. But with the same commitment, the cosmopolitan artist, who has been nominated for a Grammy no fewer than seven times, seeks an exchange with other musicians from distant cultures and styles.

She appears with orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra as much as with American DJs and British folk musicians, she has been in the studio with George Harrison, Sting and her half-sister Norah Jones, and she has initiated breathtaking encounters between Indian classical music and flamenco, jazz, pop, film music and electronica. And every one of her recordings bears witness to her personal creed: »I have great respect for every culture, so I don't want to use any of them just as an ornament for my own music«.

Supported by Stiftung Elbphilharmonie

From the Mediatheque : Videos, Podcasts, Articles

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: Love Letters from London

Anoushka Shankar talks about her »Reflektor« weekend, the London scene and Ravi Shankar's legacy.

Anoushka Shankar: A Citizen of the World with Roots

How the sitar player found her way between India and the pulsating cities of Europe.

5 Questions to Anoushka Shankar

The sitar virtuoso about her European-Indian homeland and cross-border music.