(Winner 3rd Quarter 2009 of the Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik [The Annual Award of the German Music Critics])http://schallplattenkritik.de/about-us

the project

Mayeh-ye Dashti & Mayeh-ye Isfahan: Iranian Classical Music is a co-production between Radio Berlin-Brandenburg and Celestial Harmonies, recorded in concert at RBB Broadcast Hall, Berlin on February 9, 2008.

the ensemble / artists

Dastan Ensemble: Founded in 1991, the ensemble’s name means “musical sound” or “ballad”. The musicians have a grand vision: to bring back to life the wonderful repertoire of Persian classical music. The compositional style of the members merges tradition and progress; the inclusion of both traditional and contemporary poetry by Hafez, Rumi and Nezami among others has made the Dastan Ensemble a household word among both Iranians and a large international audience in many countries. The ensemble has toured widely throughout Europe, the Middle East, North America and North Africa. Several of their recordings have won international awards in Germany and France. This is their first recording for Celestial Harmonies.

Hamid Motebassem | Composer and Tar & Setar Player: Hamid Motebassem was born in 1958 in Mashad, Iran. He was raised in a musical family, where his brother was a violinist, and his first teacher was his father, Ali Motebassem who played the tar. His subsequent teachers included the masters Habiballah Salehi, Zeydallah Toloie, Houshang Zarif, Hossein Alizadeh and Mohammad Reza Lotfi. Motebassem studied in the Tehran School of Art and the Conservatory of Persian Music. He was a member of the Chavosh Cultural Center where he taught music. One of the original members of Aref Ensemble, he founded Dastan Ensemble as well as Ensemble Chakavak after immigration to Germany in 1986. Hamid Motebassem is the founder of the Society of Tar and Setar and has since 1994 organized annual seminars dedicated to the two instruments. He has performed on numerous albums of contemporary Iranian composers as well as on all the released works of Dastan Ensemble since 1992.

Hossein Behroozinia | Composer and Barbat Player: Hossein Behroozinia was born in 1962 inTehran. His teachers were the masters Reza Vahdani, Mansour Ebrahimi (Nariman) and Mohammad Reza Lotfi. Hossein Behroozinia taught extensively at the Tehran Conservatory of Music and the Center for Preservation of Music, also in Tehran. He was a member of the celebrated ensembles, Mowlana, and Aref and joined the Dastan Ensemble in 1992. He has established classes in Persian music in Vancouver, Canada where he currently resides. Hossein Behroozinia has performed on numerous albums of celebrated Iranian composers as well as on all the released works of the Dastan Ensemble since 1992.

Said Farajpoori | Composer and Kamancheh Player: Said Farajpouri was born in 1961 in Sanandaj, Kurdistan. His teachers were the masters Hassan Kamkar, Mohammad Reza Lotfi and Hossein Alizadeh. Said Farajpoori was a member of the Culture and Art Ensemble of Sanandaj, and has performed with the acclaimed ensembles Sheyda, Aref, Avat and Puyvar and cooperated with the Ava Ensemble. He joined the Dastan Ensemble in the year 2000. He has taught kamancheh at the Chavosh Cultural Center, the Center for Preservation of Music in Tehran, the Tehran Conservatory of Music and the Tehran University School of Music. Said Farajpoori has performed on numerous albums of celebrated Iranian composers as well as on all the released works of the Dastan Ensemble since 2000.

Behnam Samani | Percussionist: Behnam Samani was born in 1967 in Charmahal, Bakhtiari. His main teacher was Jamshid Mohebi. Behnam Samani is the founder of the celebrated percussion ensemble, Zarbang and the Ensemble Samani. He has collaborated and performed with many acclaimed musicians both from the Persian as well as other traditions. He teaches classes in daf and tombak all over Europe. As the designer of an Udu drum called zarbang based on the clay pot, Behnam Samani has published a teaching manual for this instrument as well as for the daf. He joined the Dastan Ensemble in 1999 and has appeared in numerous prestigious festivals with the ensemble. He has performed on many albums of highly esteemed Iranian composers as well as on all the released works of the Dastan Ensemble since 2000.

Pejman Hadadi | Percussionist: Pejman Hadadi was born in 1969 in Tehran. He began his training at the age of ten with masters Asadollah Hejazi and Bahman Rajabi. Pejman Hadadi is the founder of Neyreez Music Academy in California where he teaches daf and tombak. He is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Durfee Master Musician Fellowship. He joined the Dastan Ensemble in 1995 and later became a member of the celebrated percussion ensemble, Zarbang. Pejman Hadadi has performed and collaborated with many master musicians of the Persian and other World music traditions around the world, receiving great audience and critical acclaim. In addition to composing an extensive repertoire for percussion and dance, he has performed on numerous albums of highly esteemed Iranian composers as well as on all the released works of Dastan Ensemble since 1995.

Homayoun Shajarian | Vocalist: Homayoun Shajarian was born in 1975 in Tehran; his father is the acclaimed vocalist Mohamed Reza Shajarian, a renowned master of the traditional Persian vocal style. Homayoun Shajarian began to play the tombak at the age of five; he discovered the traditional vocal music of Persia when he was ten, and his father became his teacher. He also studied kamancheh at the Tehran Conservatory. Since 1991 he has worked on stage with his father, accompanying him during tours of Europe and the United States. This recording was made in Berlin during his first concert tour on his own.

tracklist