We’re kicking off the fourth season of the Magic of Music Club with a concert of traditional Persian music! This music is characterized by a unique modal system, subtle microtones, and rhythmic structures derived from Persian poetry, so you’ll have the chance to hear 5-, 7-, or 12-beat rhythms—which are rarely heard in Europe!
We’ll see three virtuosos of Persian music on stage. Japanese musician Masato Tani, who studied under renowned Iranian masters, will play the santur (Persian zither). Although he is originally from Japan, Masato speaks Persian fluently and performs Persian music with exceptional authenticity. He will be joined by Iranian musician Dariush Rasouli, who plays the Persian flute—the ney.
They will be joined by Iranian Kurd Arad Emamgholi, who plays traditional percussion instruments—the dafu (a larger drum with jingles), the bendir (a small drum), and the dayereh (a smaller drum with jingles). He began learning to play the dafu as a child, in the homes of Sufis. Although this instrument is often associated with Sufi and folk music, today it is increasingly used in performances of classical Persian music as well.