Masters of Persian Music - Three Generations -

Friday, February 5, 2010 at 8 PM / Roy Thomson Hall

Tickets: $69.50 - $49.50 - Call 416-872-4255 or buy online at www.roythomson.com

or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office

Toronto, ON.  January 7, 2010 ’Äì After an absence of four years, the Grammy-nominated Masters of Persian Music, an ensemble of Iran’Äôs most celebrated musicians, returns to Roy Thomson Hall on Friday, February 5, 2010 at 8 PM. This latest tour, titled Three Generations, spotlights the talents of two of the pre-eminent figures in Persian classical music ’Äì the inspirational Hossein Alizadeh, maestro of the Tar (plucked lute) and Kayhan Kalhor, the world’Äôs greatest virtuoso of the Kamancheh (spike fiddle). Also featured is the remarkable young vocalist Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh, the leading disciple of the legendary Mohammad Reza Shajarian. They are joined by Pezhham Akhavass on Percussion, Fariborz Azizi on Bass Tar, Siamak Jahangiry on Ney (reed flute), and Rouzbeh Rahimi on Santur (hammered dulcimer). The Toronto concert is the first stop on the group’Äôs 13-city, three-week North American tour that winds up at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Hossein Alizadeh, born in Tehran in 1951, is Iran’Äôs most famous master of the Tar, and an inspiration to an entire generation of his nation’Äôs musical culture. In 2000, he was declared Best Contemporary Artist by Iran’Äôs Ministry of Culture and in 2006 his album, Endless Vision, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best World Music Album of the Year.  He is also known for his soundtracks of such award-winning Iranian films as A Time for Drunken Horses and Gabbeh. The Tar is known in Iran as the ’ÄúKing of Instruments.’Äù 

Kayhan Kalhor, internationally renowned Kamancheh performer, is a major creative force in today’Äôs world music scene and has been instrumental in popularizing Persian music in the West. Born in Tehran in 1963, he has performed as soloist with many ensembles and orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and is a member of Yo-Yo Ma’Äôs Silk Road Ensemble. His compositions appear on all three of the Silk Road Ensemble’Äôs albums; three of his own recent recordings have been nominated for Grammy Awards.

Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh is considered one of today’Äôs finest Iranian vocalists, following in the footsteps of his celebrated mentor, Mohammad Reza Shajarian. He has performed with many renowned artists and groups, including the Aref Ensemble, the Ukraine Philharmonic Orchestra, and the great Santur maestro Faramarz Payvar. He appeared with Kayhan Kalhor at the Thˆ©ˆ¢tre de la Ville in Paris and is currently the director of Iran’Äôs House of Music. This is his debut tour of North America.  

The music of Iran is contemplative, spiritual, and beautiful ’Äì a response to the country’Äôs landscape, turbulent history, and collective soul.  Poetry is also central to Persian classical music and vocal sections are often set to the poetry of medieval Sufi mystical poets. The appeal of Persian classical music to Western audiences in recent years is evidenced by cellist Yo-Yo Ma's decision to add Persian music to his Silk Road Project tours and recordings.  

This performance is sponsored by Lexus

This performance is a co-presentation with Small World Music

MASTERS OF PERSIAN MUSIC: Three Generations

Friday, February 5, 2010 at 8 PM / Roy Thomson Hall / Toronto

Tickets $69.50 - $49.50 - Call 416-872-4255 or visit the Roy Thomson Hall Box Office, www.roythomson.com