Under the Persian Musical Sky - Kayhan Kalhor & Kiya Tabassian

Kayhan Kalhor is an Iranian kamancheh player and composer. The kamancheh is a traditional Persian bowed string instrument, and Kalhor is known for his virtuosic playing and innovative compositions that combine elements of Persian classical music with folk and world music influences. He has collaborated with a wide range of musicians from different traditions, and has performed all over the world. Kalhor was born in 1963 in Kermanshah, Iran, and began studying music at a young age. He studied under some of the greatest masters of Persian music, including Mohammad Reza Lotfi and Hossein Alizadeh, and quickly established himself as one of the leading kamancheh players of his generation. He has also studied Western classical music and improvisation, and has incorporated these influences into his work. Kiya Tabassian is a musician and composer who is originally from Iran but now based in Canada. He is known for his expertise in Persian classical music and is a master of the setar, a traditional Persian lute. Tabassian is the founder and artistic director of the Constantinople ensemble, which specializes in the interpretation of early music from the Mediterranean and Middle East regions. He has released several albums with the ensemble, as well as collaborating with a variety of other musicians and ensembles around the world. In addition to his performance work, Tabassian is also involved in teaching and has conducted workshops and masterclasses on Persian music and setar playing.