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US Bank Conference Theater

1739 N High St, Columbus, OH 43210

Tickets

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Early Bird (before October 31):

  • Student Tickets: $25
  • General Admission: $40

Regular Admission (after October 31):

  • Student Tickets: $30
  • General Admission: $45

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Performers

Behzad Namazi

Behzad Namazi (composer, ethnomusicologist, and multi-instrumentalist) received his Bachelors in music composition from the Ohio State University in 2013, Masters in music composition from Ohio University in 2015, and PhD in ethnomusicology & music composition from Ohio University in 2020.

Dr. Namazi’s research and performance practice is centered around the modal system of Persian traditional music, and the socio-cultural phenomena surrounding this musical tradition.

His compositional works have been premiered at various festivals and symposia, such as the national and regional conferences for the Society of Composers, Inc, concert series for the Iranian Cultural Association of Columbus, and academic performances at The Ohio State University, Ohio University, and Denison University. His essays in ethnomusicology have been presented at several national and international venues, including the annual meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, the Canadian Society of Traditional Music, and the Association for Iranian Studies’ biennial conference.

Among his compositional works, Dr. Namazi's award-winning composition, entitled “Beshno Az Ney,” won first place at the Johnstone Woodwind Master Series’ Composition Competition in 2012, held at The Ohio State University. The composition showcases excerpts of Rumi’s introductory poem from his poetry anthology entitled “Masnavi,” written in the 13th century A.D. Literally translated from Persian as “Listen to the Reed,” the poem traverses the sentiment of separation as expressed by the personified voice of a reed, as it is being separated from its reedbed. Musically, Namazi's composition draws on the Persian melodic mode of Shur, and is written for cello, bassoon, tar (6-string Persian lute), and tenor vocals sung in an idiosyncratically Persian style. The piece was furthermore selected for performance at the National Conference for the Society of Composers (SCI) in 2016 at Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana.

Dr. Namazi’s dissertation, on the Radif as Musical Syntax, investigates the ways in which the Radif (the canonic repertoire) functions as a system of melodic governance for composition and improvisation. His recent book chapter, entitled “Āvāz: The Art of Persian Traditional Singing,” surveys the historical timeline, stylistic techniques, and performance practice. The work was published by Rowman & Littlefield Press in October of 2019.

Dr. Namazi’s forthcoming book chapter, entitled “Tehrangeles: A Glance at the Global Capital of Persian Pop Music,” examines the history of popular Persian music production in Los Angeles, California through the lens of migration and identity. This work, which features analyses of song texts and personal interviews with renowned artists, will be included in The Oxford Handbook of Global Popular Music, and is set to be published in 2022 by Oxford University Press.

Pezhham Akhavass

Pezhham Akhavass is a percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, and master of tombak (Persian goblet drum), and daf (Persian frame drum).

Pezhham was born in 1980 in Iran. He earned a bachelors in Music from Su‌reh University of Tehran in 2005, a second Bachelors in World Music from San Francisco State University (SFSU) in 2016, and a Masters in Music History from San Francisco State University in 2019.

With the support of his renowned artist father Mostafa, Pezhham began studying the tombak at the age of five under the guidance of Ostad Naser Farhanghfar. From 1989-1991, he continued studying tombak with Saeid Roudbary. He has studied other percussion instruments including Indian tabla under the guidance of Ostad Zakir Hussain since 2011.

From 2001-2007, Pezhham performed professionally with the renowned vocalist, Shahram Nazeri, where he travelled the world performing at some of the world's most prestigious festivals and concert halls. He has performed in Iran, Europe, the United States, Australia, and in many notable music festivals, including Festival del Popolo in Italy, Théâtre de la Ville and Théâtre du Soleil in Paris, Fes Festival in Morocco, Sodran Theater in Sweden, and also performed in Austria, and Finland.

In 2008, he was invited as a guest artist to perform with Yoyo Ma with Silk Road project at the Hollywood Bowl, as part of the anniversary of Rumi's birth. In 2010, he was the featured percussionist of the masters of Persian music tour, directed by Ostad Hossein Alizadeh, where he performed in a 10 city United States tour including; Disney Hall in Los Angeles, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, Skirball Center in New York City, Sanders Theatre in Boston, Hanna Theatre in Cleveland; Symphony Center in Chicago, Ferst Center for the Arts in Atlanta, Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Symphony Center in Chicago.

From 2014 to 2016, Pezhham became a global music director of the San Francisco World Music Festival for Iran. In 2015 and 2016, he toured with Ostad Hossein Alizadeh in the USA. In 2016-2017, Pezhham performed at the 12th and 13th Pan Asian Music Festival as a solo artist from Iran. In November 2020, Pezhham was invited to join and record with Ustad Zakir Hussain (Indian Classical tabla master) at the Bing Concert Hall as part of the Stanford Live Stream Project. In April 2021, he performed with masters of percussion tour in the USA, led by Ustad Zakir Hussain, and later that same year, Pezhham performed a solo concert and a workshop at the World Percussion Festival in Seattle.

Pezhham has toured, performed, and recorded with some of the masters in Persian music including Shahram Nazeri, Hossein Alizadeh, Ali-Akbar Moradi, Saeid Farajpouri, Hosein Omoumi, and Masoud Shoari.

Nima Hafezieh

Nima Hafezieh, an Iranian pianist and composer, was born in 1994.

He began to learn Persian traditional music from his mother and took private lessons in music dictation, theory and composition, and Classical piano performance from an early age.

Nima was introduced by the former president of Iran, Mr. Khatami as a young talented artist and achieved the presidential award at the age of 8.

He pursued his education in Piano performance and composition at the Tehran music conservatory.

Nima studied piano under the supervision of Dr. Tamara Dolitze and M.R. Laka, music aesthetic and analysis with Hosain Pishkar, orchestration and chamber music with Dr. M.T. Zarraby, and composition with Nima Gouran, all of whom had a great influence on his musicianship.

Nima has stylized compositions and performances in Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and contemporary music. He earned his diploma in piano performance in 2011 and acquired an associate degree in fine arts in 2012. He graduated with a Bachelor of music composition in 2017.

He studied composition under the tutelage of Dr. M. R. Tafazzoly, with a focus on modal counterpoint and free-tonal language, Dr. David Jafary, with a focus on world music and microtonal language, and Karen Keyhani, with a focus on electro-acoustic and experimental music.

Nima has performed in numerous concerts and recitals in Iran and has been in collaboration with many visual artists and musicians in the U.S and Canada.

His technique and vision are heavily rooted in free polyphonic and heterophonic improvisation, modal and microtonal language, Quartal and Quintal harmonic structures, classical Indian rhythm and melodic cycles, Middle Eastern Maqam music systems, electronic-experimental music, and various fusion genres with influences of flamenco and Latin jazz.

Currently, he is active as an electro-ambient performer, producer, and piano instructor.

Created By
Arian Seighali
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