About Peter van Gelder
Born 1940. Peter van Gelder is an American musician, sitarist and music teacher.
Peter Van Gelder (born March 19, 1940) is a sitarist and musician who played saxophone and bass in The Great Society.
Van Gelder moved to San Francisco after college and learned bass to play in The Great Society; he played saxophone on White Rabbit. He became interested in Indian music after working at a San Francisco radio station and took a summer class at University of California Berkeley with Ali Akbar Khan where he learned to play sitar. While in India, he met other musicians with whom he formed the band The Saddhu Brand when he returned to California.
He is an instructor at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California.
Early life Van Gelder grew up in a household where his parents listened to Western classical music. He played clarinet and trumpet as a child.
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Important facts
People in Peter van Gelder's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Peter van Gelder's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Peter van Gelder?
American musician, sitarist, music teacher
When was Peter van Gelder born?
Peter van Gelder was born on 19 March 1940.
What is Peter van Gelder's occupation?
Peter van Gelder is a musician, sitarist and music teacher.
What nationality is Peter van Gelder?
Peter van Gelder is American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Peter van Gelder
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Peter van Gelder. https://biography.guide/peter-van-gelder/
MLA: "Peter van Gelder." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/peter-van-gelder/.
Chicago: "Peter van Gelder." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/peter-van-gelder/.
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