Anoushka Shankar at the McAninch Arts Center October 6, 2007

She’s recorded with Sting and Elton John, conducted for George Harrison, performed for Ray Charles, and earned her first Grammy nomination just barely out of her teens.

World-renowned sitarist and composer Anoushka Shankar will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the McAninch Arts Center (the MAC), 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn.

As the daughter of world music superstar Ravi Shankar, Anoushka began performing as a young teenager, quickly receiving praise for her musicianship and aptitude on the sitar, a tall stringed instrument used in Indian classical music since the Middle Ages.

But in the years since she first drew notice as Ravi’s talented daughter, Anoushka has stepped out of her father’s shadow. Today she is lauded as a musical pioneer in her own right, seamlessly blending ancient Asian sounds with contemporary electronica and techno-beats, a talent that has earned her accolades from New Delhi to New York City.

“Anoushka’s famous last name may have brought her to the stage as a child, but her luminous talent and vision have kept her there,” said Stephen Cummins, director of the MAC. “She has a virtuosity that both acknowledges and transcends her familial musical roots. Listening to her, you quickly realize that she is equally at ease creating gorgeous, haunting harmonies as she is unleashing energetic, psychedelic beats. She is redefining the face of world music.”

Anoushka first picked up a sitar at the age of 8 and trained intensely with her maestro father for over a decade. Making her Carnegie Hall debut at 19, Anoushka demonstrated a gift for fusing the impeccable technique she had learned from her father with her own resonant, emotional landscape. Today, Anoushka instills her performances and compositions with her own sensibilities, ranging from flirtatious to jazzy, rambunctious to profoundly meditative.

Anoushka released her first solo CD, self-titled “Anoushka,” in 1998 when she was just 17. That same year, the British Parliament presented her with the House of Commons Shield in recognition of her artistry, making her the youngest and the first female ever to receive the honor. In 2000, Anoushka released her sophomore recording, “Anourag,” which was followed in 2002 by the Grammy-nominated “Live at Carnegie Hall.” Just two years later, Time Magazine named her one of “20 Asian Heroes,” a testament to her expanding influence around the world.

In 2005, she recorded “Rise,” an album with a marked shift away from her classical Indian roots and more reflective of Anoushka’s personal global aesthetic. Its songs are a sonic exploration of converging cultures and spiritual traditions, fusing Western instruments such as cello, violin and piano with the Eastern double-reed and sitar. The album earned her a second Grammy nomination.

Her newest album, just released Aug. 28, 2007, is a collaboration with multi-instrumentalist Karsh Kale titled “Breathing Under Water.” New York Times described the record as “somber and soulful world fusion meets dance club” and Philadelphia Daily News raved “(the album) is a richly atmospheric co-mingling of mystical Indian flavors with rhythm-centric electronica, swirling trance and mainstream pop.”

“On the one hand, it means so much to me to explore the Indian classical music my father taught me,” said Anoushka. “And on the other hand, I am deeply excited to be discovering my own creative voice.”

Anoushka’s concert is part of the MAC’s World Music Series, a dedication on behalf of the MAC to showcase and promote emerging and established international artists. Tickets to the concert are $34 for adults, $24 for students and patrons under 17, and $32 for seniors. To purchase, call 630-942-4000 or visit http://www.AtTheMAC.org.

Official Website: http://www.AtTheMAC.org