December 2025
Dear Members and Friends,
As we conclude another wonderful year at the Ali Akbar College of Music—our 58th, if you can believe it—I wanted to take a moment to write to you about something very close to my heart. My name is Madina Khan, and I am the youngest child of our founder, Maestro Ali Akbar Khan. I am privileged enough to know many of you, but for those I don’t, I would like to introduce myself.
I have been working at the College alongside my mother, Mary, and my brothers, Alam and Manik, for almost half my life, and I am honored to serve as the newest member of the AACM Board of Directors. Though much of my work happens behind the scenes, helping to carry forward this institution with my family is one of the greatest privileges of my life. I grew up within these walls—doing homework in the practice rooms, learning music under the same roof where I once played and explored as a child, and later introducing my two sons to the pictures of our ancestors that line the walls. This building has always been, and will always be, my second home.
The AACM raised me. Many of you raised me as well. As we close out another year, I have to reflect on just how deeply special this school is to so many of us. It is a safe space, a place of love, friendship and community. We’ve had weddings and birthday parties and memorials. We’ve eaten an unbelievable amount of food. And we have had music—so much beautiful, life altering music in this building.
This past year, we hosted 4 sold-out concerts in our space, as well as our annual Tribute in San Francisco. The Tribute this year was especially moving, as it honored not only my father, but also three beloved people in our community we lost recently: my brother, Ustad Aashish Khan, the unparalleled Ustad Zakir Hussain, and our dear friend, Ken Zuckerman. In a year filled with a lot of loss and heartache, being able to come together in music for these people who have
meant the world to so many felt genuinely healing. We also welcomed a bust of my father to the school, one made for him by Prof. Sarbari Roy Chowdhury in India in 1967, and his son, Sougata Roy Chowdhury, was able to perform at our school with Alam for its grand reveal. Another highlight was celebrating Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri’s 80th birthday, a joyful milestone shared with our community.
I write to you as a reminder of what a small group of dedicated people can truly accomplish. Indian classical music might not occupy mainstream popularity, yet this ancient artform continues to survive—and thrive—in no small part because of you. My father had a dream when he came to America, and I feared when he left this world that the dream would go with him. But here we are: a vibrant, resilient community committed to preserving and sharing this music for generations to come.
We open our 2025 Fundraiser with profound gratitude for all the generosity you have shown us over these many years. We work tirelessly to sustain the school, but we truly could not do it without you. At a time when rising costs affect us all, we appreciate any amount you are able to contribute. Last year, thanks to your support, we successfully reached our goal—and this year, we hope to raise $20,000 to help ensure that the College remains strong and accessible. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being my friends, my family, my aunts and uncles. Thank you for loving my father and this music. Thank you for reminding me every day that there are beautiful things worth fighting for. Thank you for keeping this school alive.
I wish you all a warm and peaceful winter season.
With gratitude,
Madina Khan