Maqams: The Roots of Iranian Classical Music

Kayhan Kalhor and Ali Akbar Moradi in discussion

Kayhan Kalhor is an internationally acclaimed kamancheh (Persian spike fiddle) player. His musical collaborations have helped popularize Persian music outside of Iran and attract audiences from around the world. Kayhan is a founding member of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble (which received a Grammy in 2016 for the album “Sing Me Home”). He has composed music for Iran’s most renowned vocalists including Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Shahram Nazeri, and has toured as a soloist with ensembles and orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and Orchestre National de Lyon.

Ali Akbar Moradi is a master tambour (Persian lute) player. He has performed throughout Europe, Canada, and the U.S. and has performed with singers like Shahram Nazeri and at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Ali is from Kermanshah, Iran, and plays traditional Kurdish Iranian music. He currently lives in Iran and teaches tambour, and continues to develop the legacy of the instrument and the regional music.