What instrument did Ravi Shankar play?
Ravi Shankar last European concert, but his 2011 tour included dates in the United Kingdom. On 1 July 2010, at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall, London, England, Anoushka Shankar, on sitar, performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by David Murphy what was billed the first "Symphony" by Ravi Shankar. Beatles guitarist George Harrison, who was first introduced to Shankar's music by American singers Roger McGuinn and David Crosby, who were big fans of Shankar, became influenced by Shankar's music. He went on to help popularize Shankar and use of Indian instruments in pop music throughout the 1960s. Olivia Harrison explains:
Ravi Shankar version of his first name, Ravindra, to Ravi, for "sun". Shankar had five siblings: Uday (who became a famous choreographer and dancer), Rajendra, Debendra and Bhupendra. Shankar attended the Bengalitola High School in Benares between 1927 and 1928. At the age of ten, after spending his first decade in Benares, Shankar went to Paris with the dance group of his brother, choreographer Uday Shankar. By the age of 13 he had become a member of the group, accompanied its members on tour and learned to dance and play various Indian instruments. Uday's dance group toured Europe and the United States