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PRESS RELEASE
CONCERT
AN EVENING OF PERSIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
WITH ENSEMBLE SHABROVAN
Wednesday 2 April 2014
The Shoe Factory, Nicosia / 8.30pm
The Pharos Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the Embassy of Iran in Cyprus, presents An Evening of
Persian Classical Music featuring Ensemble Shabrovan on traditional instruments: Santour, Tar, Setar,
Daf, Tonbak & Kamancheh.
From the beginning of the Achaemenid Empire in the sixth century B.C. to present day Iran, the beautiful and ancient
Persian culture has experienced periods of intense wealth and great loss. Despite the many invasions by Greeks, Turks,
Mongols, and Arabs, the Persian people were able to retain their rich cultural heritage. The classical music of the Persian
culture reflects the deep sadness of brutal invasions, the complex beauty of nature, and fusion with a higher power of
existence. Persian classical music has evolved as a fluid expression of the social and cultural values proudly embodied
by the Persian people, as demonstrated by the musical theory system, the role of music in Persian culture, and the
creation process of musical performance.
With the foundational establishment of Islam as the national religion of Persia in the seventh century, a significant fusion
of Arabic and Persian music took place, including instruments, musical terminology, and theoretical principles. As
Persian cultural values and beliefs have evolved over time, Persian classical music has simultaneously been transformed.
Often associated with the deep, complex, and profound poetry of the great Persian poets, Persian music embodies the
penultimate expression of the human soul. Due to the partial Islamic prohibition of music and arts in Iran, Persian
classical music was raised to a mystical art, highly prized for its unification with a superior power of existence. The
modernization and westernization of Iran have not only changed the structural components of Persian music in many
ways, but have also exposed the art to the world. There is currently more Western interest in Persian classical music than
ever before. Perhaps as people listen to this mysteriously beautiful Persian art, they attain some type of hal-state where
the “world becomes transfigured, unveiling its marvellous images, and across an ineffable transparency… offers itself to
the direct comprehension of every being capable of sensing.”
ENSEMBLE SHABROVAN
Arash Kavosi / Composer (Tar & Setar)
Arash Kavosi is an Iranian Classical Musician, a Tar & Setar player and the supervisor of the Ensemble Shabrovan. He started
learning Persian Classical music, the “Radif” (the Persian classical music repertoire) of Persian Classical Music and Harmony in
1994 under the supervision of Mehran Lotfi, the masters Houshang Zarif, Arshad Tahmasebi, Mohammad Reza Lotfi and Farhad
Fakhrodini. He currently completes his degree in music at National Conservatory in Tehran and has performed numerous concerts
in Central Asian countries and Thailand accompanying the Ensemble Shabrovan.
Hamid Sarvari Zadeh / Composer (Setar & Daf & Tonbak)
Sarvari Zadeh is an Iranian traditional Musician, Tonbak & Daf & Setar player and has studied under direction of the masters
Shafahi and Naser Farhangfar who taught him the Tonbak. He won the First Prize in Iran’s Young Musician Festival in 2001 and the
first place in the City of Khozestan province Festival. He has performed many concerts in most Iranian cities as well as other
countries like Greece and Canada. Meanwhile, he has played the Setar & Daf and Tonbak in numerous albums such as Saraye
Kohan, Ghoye Ziba, Bikaraneh, Goftogo.
Sasan Bazgir / Composer (Tar & Kamancheh)
Sasan Bazgir is an Iranian classical Musician and film music composer who has studied Iranian traditional music under the masters
Hossein Lak and Daruosh Pirniakan, and the Kamnche under master Ali Akbar Shekarchi. He has received a PHD in English
Literature and he is one of the composers in various albums like Khabo Khial, Roze Safar, Peymaneh, Sobhkhizan.
Esmaeil Safari / Composer (Santour)
Esmaeil Safari is a Persian Traditional Musician and researcher who started learning Iranian music and the Santour under the
supervision of masters Faramrz Payvar, Parviz Meshkatian, Majid Kiani and Masoud Shenasa. Safari collaborates often with
musical ensembles such as Eghbal Azar, Nava and Shabrovan and he also teaches music at art institutes in Tehran. He is the
author of various books in music such as Music for children in 3 volumes, The effect of memories in Music and Taste of Music. He
has also given numerous concerts around the world.
Ali Yousefvand Babakamali / Vocalist
Ali Yousefvand Babakamali is an Iranian Classical Music singer and started singing under the guidance of masters Sedigh Tarif,
Hamid Reza Norbakhsh and Samimi. His recordings have been broadcast by Iran’s Radio and he has performed in many concerts
in Ghazaghestan and Thailand with the enembles Shabrovan and Yaran.
For more information: www.pharosartsfoundation.org
Email: [email protected] / Tel: +357 22663871
Tickets: €15 Adults / €10 Members of the Foundation, Concessions, Students
Box Office: Tel. 7000-9304 (daily 9.30-11.30am) / www.pharostickets.org