Persian Music: Classical and New

Hear classical and original music for Iranian lutes (tar and setar), performed by one of the few women worldwide who play these instruments in major concert halls. Sahba Motallebi specializes in Persian classical music, a tradition of virtuoso improvisation based on melodic modes (dastgah) chosen to reflect the mood of the occasion. After attending the Tehran Conservatory in the 1990s, she cofounded the women’s ensemble Chakaveh and joined the Iranian National Orchestra before relocating to southern California. In 2016, she performed for a sold-out audience at Symphony Space in New York City. Naghmeh Farahmand, based in Toronto, plays percussion with a wide range of traditional and jazz artists and founded the ensemble Sharghi.