List of Instructors:
Siamak Shajarian,
Instruments: Voice and Radif-Shenasi
Area: Southern California
Siamak Shajarian born in the city of Mashad in northeastern Iran, is arguably the most accomplished Persian traditional signer living in the United States. He has performed with such masters as Jalil Shanaz, Faramarz Payvar, Mohammad Ali Kiani-nejad, Mohammad Esmaeli, and Farhang Sharif. Shajarian’s public musical life began when he was sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and the Arts in Mashhad at age eleven. He inherited his talents in singing from his father and in calligraphy from his mother. He studied the Persian vocal art (avaz) and its Radif with Ghafoorian and Gholam Hossein Zahiredini, and completed his studies under the direction of his brother, Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Esmaeel Mehrtash. In addition to mastering the vocal Radif of Persian traditional music, Shajarian has also studied Tar, Santur and Tombak. In 1977, he moved to the United States. Soon after he joined Oshagh Ensemble and gave numerous concerts across the U.S. and Canada. Shajarian has appeared on many festivals and radio interviews. His most recent recordings are “Kereshmeh” with Payvar Ensemble, “Shoukh-e Sangdel” by Mohammad Ali Kiani-nejad, and “Light and Fire” with Lian Ensemble. Currently he lives in Los Angeles where he teaches Persian traditional vocal Radif.
Keyavash Nourai,
Instruments: Violin and Kamancheh
Area: Southern California
Keyavash Nourai is a virtuoso violinist, multi-instrumentalist, orchestrator,and composer with a broad range of talents and knowledge. He has studied Western Classical, Jazz, and Indian music. Keyavash earned his Master’s degree in violin performance from California Institute of the Arts. Where he pushed his performance capabilities to the very difficult extended techniques of modern 20th century classical piece. He has studied numerous other instruments such as Piano, Setar, Kamanche, Santour and Tombak to inform his playing and compositions. The wide range of his knowledge and his open artistic approach allows him to move comfortably, seamlessly and artfully between many disciplines of music. His intimate knowledge of many traditional and orchestral instruments, combined with his passion and creative approach to composition, make him an ideal orchestrator of Persian traditional music. Instrumentation, harmonies, and colorful juxtaposition of melodies in his hand bring a new vivid life to some of the old jewels of our culture.
Kourosh Zolani
Instruments: Santur
Area: Southern California
Kourosh Zolani Kourosh Zolani was born in a small village in Iran. He does not come from a background that encouraged him to become a musician; indeed, he comes from a small town where music was not a part of everyday life and was, in general, considered taboo. Koroush studied Musical Composition at University of Art in Tehran and graduated from the Film Scoring program at the UCLA School of Entertainment. Also, Kourosh studied Santour under Master Faramarz Payvar, the most influential and famous Santour player in Persian music history. Kourosh invented a new method of tuning the Santour that revolutionized the ancient instrument by transforming it from an exclusively diatonic instrument to a chromatic. Later, He evolved his invention to the new levels designing a family of Chromatic Santours, which further expand the instrument’s realms of timbre and range. Kourosh is the first Iranian musician to perform on the Chromatic Santour with a symphony orchestra, performing his original scores at venues such as the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and in the Roman city of Jerash in Jordan. Kourosh has appeared as a guest lecturer at UCLA, California State University Long Beach, Pomona college, L.A. Trade Tech College and several other notable colleges and universities. Kourosh’s published compositions have won numerous awards including: L.A. Treasures Award, the 2003 Finalists in the USA Song Writing Competition in the World Music Category, Call to Arts Festival, JPF.
Misaq Eshaghi
Instruments: Kamanche
Area: Southern California
Misaq Eshaghi Misaq Eshaghi was born in 1985 in Mashhad, Iran. He learned playing Tonbak from his father Dariush Eshaghi and began learning Kamancheh with renowned Kamancheh players, Ali Akbar Shekarchi, Ardeshir kamkar and Saeed Farajpoori. Misaq studied composition and orchestration with Kambiz Roshan Ravan and is currently studying music in Los Angeles.
Matin Eshaghi
Instruments: Tar and Setar
Area: Southern California
Matin Eshaghi Matin Eshaghi was born in 1988 in Mashhad, Iran. He began learning Tonbak from his father Dariush Eshaghi when he was five years old. Later he started playing tar and learned Tar and Setar from Shahideh Behdad, Behrouz Hemmati and Master Mohammad Reza Lotfi. Matin is currently studying music in Los Angeles.
Parisa Daneshvar
Instruments: Children Music and Ney
Area: Southern California
Parisa Daneshvar Parisa Daneshvar, Children Music Teacher and Ney player, was born in 1981. Parisa, whose music talent is focused on Ney “Persian wood wind instrument”, received her initial instructions from Mr. Hassan Mekaniki and continued with Master Mohammad Ali Kianinejad. Parisa received coaching instructions from Ustad Soodabeh Salem for teaching music to children. During her professional carrier in Iran, Parisa conducted many concerts for her children students and played Ney in several ensembles. She taught children music at several school and music institutions. Parisa is currently a Southern California resident where she is perusing her music carrier along with teaching music to children.