Composer Reza Vali
Janna Baty, mezzo soprano
Hamid Taghavi, santur
Geoffrey Larson, conductor
Reza Vali
Folk Songs: Set No. 8
Folk Songs: Set No. 10
Shoorafkand, Calligraphy No. 20
Kian Ravaei
Family Photos for String Quartet
In a landmark event celebrating Persian music and Iranian-American cultural exchange, SMCO performs a program that features multiple generations of Iranian and Iranian-American creators and mixes traditional and contemporary Persian sounds.
Mezzo-soprano Janna Baty, santur master Hamid Taghavi, and SMCO Music Director Geoffrey Larson. Right image credit: Sean Salamon.
Saturday, April 20 at 8:00 PM
Kirkland Performance Center
350 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland, WA
Map
Free parking at Municipal Parking Garage. Bar on site, refreshments allowed in hall.
Sunday, April 21 at 2:00 PM
The Forum at Town Hall Seattle
1119 8th Ave, Seattle, WA
Map
Bar on site, refreshments allowed in hall.
Born in Ghazvin, Iran, composer Reza Vali’s vibrant works blend traditional music of Iran with contemporary styles, bringing distinct Persian sounds to chamber and orchestral ensembles. His music has been commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Kronos Quartet, the Seattle Chamber Players, and more.
A faculty member of Yale University and longtime interpreter of Vali’s music, mezzo-soprano Janna Baty has been described by The Boston Globe as having “a rich, viola-like tone” and singing with “a rapturous, luminous lyricism.” Hamid Taghavi, a master of the Persian hammered dulcimer instrument known as the santur (سنتور), was born in Ahar, Iran. He is known for his work with Persian music legends such as Alireza Eftekhari, Hamid Noorbakhsh, Homayoun Shajariyan, and acclaimed organizations such as the Arasbaran Ensemble and Shams Ensemble.
Born to Iranian immigrants, composer Kian Ravaei maintains close ties to the Iranian community in his hometown of Los Angeles. Many of his works combine the ornamented melodies of Iranian classical music with the colorful harmonies of Western classical music. Ravaei’s recent collaborators include violinist Tessa Lark, guitarist Elliot Fisk, and the Zodiac Trio. He has been commissioned by Chamber Music Northwest, Seattle Chamber Music Society, and Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, and his music has been performed at Carnegie Hall, Caramoor, the Aaron Copland House, and the Curtis Institute of Music.
Kirkland Performance Center
The Forum at Town Hall Seattle