Monad The Art Of Improvisation in Persian Classical Music

Live in Concert

Maestro Hossein Alizadeh & Pejman Hadadi

 

A night of fiery and meditative improvisation in Persian classical music. After so many years of collaboration the legendary, Mastero Hossein Alizadeh, an Iranian composer, Tar and Setar player and Pejman Hadadi, the renowned Iranian Percussionist/Tombak player, come together one more time to share and perform their music in the US and Canada.

The concert title is inspired by the two artists' extraordinary collaborative CD by the same name released by Hermes records in 2009.

Hossein Alizadeh (Tehran-1950) is considered one of the most important figures in contemporary Persian music. He comes from a traditional training. He learned the Radif of Persian classical music with various masters of the tradition including

Houshang Zarif, Ali Akbar Shahnazi, NurAli Borumand, Mahmood Karimi, Abdollah Davami, Yousef Foroutan, and Saied Hormozi and later recorded the entire body of the Radif based on the interpretation of Mirza Abdullah for Tar and Setar. He also received a BA in Music Composition and Performance from the University of Tehran and later studied Composition and Musicology at the University of Berlin. He has taught at the University of Tehran and the Tehran Music Conservatory.

Alizadeh has led a solo career, performing both in Iran and throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He was the conductor and soloist in the Iranian National Orchestra of Radio and Television, established the acclaimed Aref Ensemble and worked with the Shayda Ensemble. His first professional experience in Europe was playing in the orchestra of the famous Bejart Ballet Company in Maurice Bejart's ballet, Gulistan.

Some of Alizadeh's most noted compositions are The Nava Improvisations (1976), Riders of the Plains of Hope (1977), Hesar (1977), Revolt (1983), Ney Nava (1983), Dream (1986), Torkaman (1986), Raz-O-Niaz (1986), Delshodegan (1987), Song of Compassion (1991), New Secret (1996), A Time for Drunken Horses (2000), Turtles can Fly (2004), Endless Vision (2004), Nive Mang (2006), Under the Razor (2007) and Ode to Flowers (2007). The album, Endless Vision has been nominated for the Best World Music Album of the Year 2006 in the 49th Edition of the Grammy Awards.

Alizadeh established the Hamavayan Ensemble in 1989 with a new approach to the traditional Iranian choral singing. Accompanied with traditional instruments, this ensemble has appeared in many of Alizadeh's compositions including New Secret, Gabbeh, Songs of Compassion and Endless Vision.

 

 

Pejman Hadadi is considered one of the most innovative Iranian percussionists. A two-time recipient of the prestigious Durfee Foundation Master Musician Award, he is the founder of Neyreez World Music Institute in Southern California. He began playing Tombak at the age of ten with master musicians Asadollah Hejazi and Bahman Rajabi. Pejman Hadadi’s modern approach to the traditional Tombak lies in his ability to produce melodic patterns within rhythmic structures as well as in his experiments with creating complex variations on the basic sounds of Tombak. He has been a member of the celebrated Dastan Ensemble for more than ten years and was one of the founding members of the highly acclaimed ZARBANG. Hadadi has also recorded and performed with many well-known musicians including Hossein Alizadeh, Shahram Nazeri, Homayoun Shajarian, Parisa, Sima Bina, Ali Akbar Moradi and Ardeshir Kamkar. Hadadi has created a new version of Tunable Frame Drums, which he has introduced into Persian Classical music.

These drums create harmonic intervals, therefore, the possibility of creating a unique sound texture and composing rhythmic patterns with a sense of melody in them.  

 

Hadadi has toured extensively in North America, Europe, Iran and Japan, performing in major international festivals and prestigious concert halls. Some of his recordings include Call To Love (2008), Monad (2008) Persian and Middle Eastern Percussion (2005), Golestan (2005), Gol-e Behesht (2005), Shurideh (2004), Rengineh (2004), Journey To Persia (2002), Whisper (2001), Midnight Sun (2000), Fire of Passion (1999), A Tale of Love (1999) and Through Eternity (1997).

 

"Hadadi is a technical wizard who contributes fire and a unique personality to improvisational passages."
John Payne, Los Angeles Weekly

"The masterful Hadadi delivered an astonishing array of sounds."
Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times
 

 

ALL Cities Schedule

 

Montreal, Friday, January 27, 7:00 PM

Vendredi 27 janvier , à 7h00

Westmount Baptist Church - 411 avenue Roslyn (coin de la rue Sherbrooke. Ouest)

billet  $30, etudiants $25

Information: Fondation Sokhan -e-Azad (514) 678-4030

Tickets: Tapesh digital (514) 223-3336

 

 

Ottawa, Saturday, January 28, 8:00 PM

Centrepointe Studio Theatre

101 Centrepointe Drive

Doors open 7:30, show begins: 8:00

Tickets: $30 all ages, Students: $25

Tickets available at Arya, Alpha, & Silk Road.

Organized by: Ottawa Persian Radio

Information & Tickets: (613) 889-4700      Please Click Here

 

 

TORONTO, Sunday, January 29

Church of the Holy Trinity

483 Bay Street  (behind Eaton Centre)

(416) 598-4521

Information & Tickets: www.smallworldmusic.com

Pegah Books: (416) 223-0850

Super Khorak: (416) 221-7558

Soundscapes: (416) 537-1620

 

 

New York, Friday, February 3, 8:00 PM

Asia Society

725 Park Avenue

Information: (212) 288-6400                    Please Click Here

 

 

Washington DC, Saturday, February 4, 7:30 PM

Freer Gallery of Art

Meyer Auditorium, Jefferson Dr. at 12th St., SW

Information: (202) 633-1000 (voice/tape), (202) 633-5285 (TTY), info@si.edu                                           Please Click Here

 

Atlanta-Friday, February 10, 8:00 PM

Unity North Atlanta Church, 4255 Sandy Plains Rd., Marrietta, GA 30066

Information: (678) 357-3572, persianarts@mindspring.com

                                                           Please Click Here

 

Los Angeles, Saturday, February 11, 8:00 PM

University of Southern California

TCC Ballroom, 3607 Trousdale Parkway

Los Angeles CA 90089

Information: (310) 433-5139

monad@pacsausc.org, www.PacsaUSC.org

Tickets: www.PacsaUSC.org

Ketab Corp: (310) 477-7477

Music Box:  (310) 473 - 3466

 

 

 

 

 

Seattle-Thursday, February 16, 8:00 PM

PONCHO Concert Hall, Cornish College of the Arts

710 East Roy St., Seattle

Information: (206) 726-5030

                                      Please Click Here

 

 

Vancouver, Friday, February 17, 8:00 PM

St. James Hall, 3214 West 10th. Ave. Vancouver

Information: 778-886-8908 or 604-375-4878

Email: caravan@telus.net

                                      Please Click Here

 

Berkeley, Saturday, February 18, 8:00 PM

Rudramandir, 830 Bancroft Way

Berkeley, CA 94710

Information: (916) 995- 6276, info@rudmandir.com

                                       Please Click Here