Saturday, May 11th, at 2pm. Doors open at 1:30pm.
Memorial Church, Stanford University
Featured Musicians
Amir Nojan, Setar
Born in Shiraz, Iran, Amir Nojan is a distinguished Classical Persian music artist renowned for his profound expertise in the “Radif” (Persian Classical Repertoire). He has had the privilege of studying under esteemed contemporary masters of traditional Persian music, including Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Dariush Tala’i, and Jalal Zolfonoun. Nojan’s musical journey has taken him across the globe, captivating audiences with his remarkable skills as a composer, soloist, improviser, and ensemble player. Amir Nojan has collaborated with esteemed artists such as Alim Qasimov, Shahram Nazeri, Alireza Ghorbani and Mojgan Shajarian, leaving a lasting impact on the world of Persian music. In 2012, Nojan established the groundbreaking “Shiraz Arts Academy” in Northern California (San Jose), marking the first professional institution dedicated to the teaching of Persian music and arts.
Mohammad Nejad, Ney
Nejad is a Persian-born master multi-instrumentalist residing in the San Francisco Bay area. He performs regularly with the acclaimed Bay area Central Asian dance company Ballet Afsaneh, and is the musical director for Anthony Shay’s Avaz International Dance Theatre. He collaborates with many other musicians and ensembles. He has performed throughout Asia, Europe, and the United States, including most campuses of the University of California, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Ethnic Dance Festival in San Francisco, and the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. He teaches privately and through workshops. He wants to introduce Americans to the beauty of Persian music.
Amir Ghandi, Daf
Amir Ghandi (born in Tehran, Iran in 1983) is a PhD degree in environmental engineering and the founder of Chitlig Innovation Company, He is an artist and an athlete. He started his professional artistic career as a pianist and percussionist at a younger age. He has performed on different Radio and TV channels in Iran and Turkey and in several concerts with different music bands in Iran, the USA, Europe, and other countries!
Ghazaleh Faylinejad, Avaz
Ghazaleh Faylinejad is a celebrated vocalist acclaimed for her expertise in Persian classical music. She has honed her craft under the tutelage of esteemed Iranian maestros such as Parisa, Hossein Alizadeh, and Mohammad Reza Lotfi. Immersing herself in the teachings of the legendary Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Ghazaleh embarked on a transformative journey, delving deep into the intricacies and nuances of Iranian singing. In tandem with her musical pursuits, Ms. Faylinejad holds a Master’s degree in Architectural Engineering from the Art & Architecture University in Iran, showcasing her multifaceted talents and intellectual pursuits. Across her illustrious journey, she has contributed her enchanting vocals to a myriad of music albums and singles, collaborating with esteemed composers. Her performances have graced audiences across various countries and regions, including diverse parts of America. Balancing her architectural endeavors with her passion for music, Faylinejad shares her expertise as a teacher of Iranian singing and delivers captivating concerts that enchant audiences around the globe.
Shahin Shahbazi, Tar
Shahin Shahbazi is an Iranian American composer, scholar, tar and setar player living in North California. He has benefited greatly from the education of Persian classical music masters such as Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Dariush Talaei, Hossein Alizadeh, and Farhad Fakhreddini who taught him the foundations of composition. To date, he has released fourteenth albums of music and several single tracks, and has collaborated on more than thirty albums. He has collaborated with many famous artists in Iranian classical music genre and has held concerts in Iran, the United States, Germany, Austria, Turkey, India, and Uzbekistan. Mr.Shahbazi is the winner of several awards, the first one which is the award of “The Best Young Soloist Festival” in 2000 in Tehran. Shahin Shahbazi immigrated to the United States in 2013, and he earned a master’s degree in composition from San Francisco State University. With a wealth of experience, Shahbazi has participated in over 30 concerts nationwide and has delivered lectures at various esteemed institutions, including universities in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Seattle, as well as San Francisco State University, University of the Pacific, and DVC College.
Sina Dehghani, Tombak/Daf
Sina Dehghani, tombak and daf player, was born in Tehran, Iran in 1976. He began learning the tombak at the age of fourteen, studying for four years with Bahram Dehghani. He then continued his studies for an additional two years with Majid Hesabi. Sina further honed his skills under the tutelage of the esteemed Master Navid Afghah. While initially self-taught in the daf, Sina later received instruction from the renowned Daf Master, Bijan Kamkar. Concurrently, in an effort to broaden his musical knowledge and versatility, he attended classes conducted by Master Masoud Habibi, dedicating an additional ten years to his studies. For a decade, Sina actively taught tombak and Daf at music institutes in Isfahan, Iran, concurrently performing with various esteemed Persian ensembles both in Iran and internationally.
