Concert Sponsored by Cottonwood
Best Western Inn
The Lian Ensemble website
Pirayeh Pourafar
Houman Pourmehdi
Saman Mahmoudi
Alireza Shahmohammadi
LIAN
Sound of Mystical World Music
with Pirayeh Pourafar, Houman Pourmehdi
Saman Mahmoudi & Alireza Shahmohammadi
Saturday, February 20, 7:00 pm
$18 adv, $20 door, $25 priority
Music inspired by Persian Sufi Music and Literature
Based in Los Angeles, The Lian Ensemble is a group of virtuoso performers and composers. Their powerful compositions fuse the Mystical Persian musical heritage with the contemporary sensibilities of Contemporary Jazz.
Combining a unique musical vision with dauntless dedication to experimentation, they create a synthesis of mystical world music composed of traditional and folk melodies and instruments. Their “Brilliance” has been praised by John Schneider of KPFK radio.
The Lian Ensemble iis comprised of world-renowned musicians whose diverse and uniquely versatile musical styles lend to this rare blend of Mystical world music. Lian's music flows effortlessly between a diverse range of styles and traditions, while fearlessly forging a path and sound that is all their own.
Los Angeles Times writes, “The Lian Ensemble's music-original compositions written and improvised in class on its own terms.” In performance, Lian's ever evolving repertoire of creative original music is expanded, rearranged, and examined with exploratory eyes at each and every concert.
Pirayeh Pourafar is a composer whose compositions have been noted for innovative sophistication, thoughtfulness, and commanding technique. She entered the Royal National Music Conservatory of Teheran at the age of nine, where she started her studies with Masters Houshang Zarif, Habiboallah Sallehi, Mahmoud Karimi and Grand Master Ali Akbar-Khan Shahnazi.
She is known not only for her work in traditional Persian music, but also for her creative east-west fusion of composition and performance work. Pirayeh is one of the first women to play the traditional Persian Music outside Iran. In a versatile career as a concert musician, recording artist, composer and teacher, Pourafar has traveled and performed widely throughout the world.
Houman Pourmehdi, is a master percussionist, well known for his diverse abilities as a musician, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. He was privileged to study Tonbak under guidance of the late Grand Master Amir Nasser Eftetah. His interest in the spiritual path of Sufis introduced him to the Ghaderi Sufi order's virtuoso Daf players.
Houman has performed widely throughout Europe, North & South America, Asia, and North Africa.
“Well on his way to legendary” John Payne, LA Weekly
Saman Mahmoudi was born in Tehran, Iran. He started playing Tombak (Persian drum) at the age of 5 under supervision of his father. Saman's natural talent in capturing the foundation of Persian classical music and instruments such as Santoor was noticeable from early stages of his childhood. He continued his learning under tutelage of two Iranian master musicians, Mehdi Setayeshgar and Pashang Kamkar. He is known for his spontaneous improvising style and dominating ability on percussive instruments.
In the recent years, Saman surprised everyone with another one of his outstanding talents, his ability to sing. His vocal range enabled him to deliver unforgettable moments in many musical performances, wowing the audience. Saman has also started a series of Musical Fusion concerts, combining Classical Persian Music with music from another countries and regions, such as Greece, India and South America.
Alireza Shahmohammadi is considered one of today’s finest Iranian vocalists. Alireza has performed with renowned artists, including Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Ata JanougookMehdi Azarsina and Masoud Shenasa. In 2006 He performed at the L’AudItori Iinternational Music Festival in Barcelona.
Shahmohammadi joined the Shayda Ensemble led by Master Mohammad Reza Lotfi in 2006. He has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia and has appeared on many radio and television programs around the world. He has many albums of contemporary and classical Iranian music. His performances of traditional Persian music and multiple collaborations have attracted audiences around the globe.
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