DOORS OPEN AT 7:00 PM - **Please note: space is very limited for this event.**
Diaspora Arts Connections proudly presents “A Gathering of Light for Yalda” on Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 8:00 PM (doors at 7:00 PM) at Leon Events Hall in San Francisco. Join us for a night of unity through music, dance, and poetry in honor of Shabe Yalda as we envision peace and unity on earth, bringing light into the darkest nights of the year on Winter Solstice. Multi-instrumentalist Amir Etemadzadeh will lead a band of musicians featuring Azadeh Farpour (Vocals), Sara Saberi (Barbat and Vocals), Aydin Shaterian (Azeri Tar) and Amir Etemadzadeh (Percussion). Acclaimed Choreographer and dancer Miriam Peretz will lead the Nava Dance Collective in this production.
About the artists
Miriam Peretz is an internationally celebrated dance instructor and performer. Over the past twenty years her signature dance style has spread across continents through her international dance collective Nava, and through the intensive training’s she offers worldwide. Miriam’s format draws heavily on sacred dances from around the world, Central Asian dance, devotional Sufi whirling and ritual. Her movement quality and aesthetics also incorporate her years of martial arts training, contemporary dance, Flamenco, and many other world dance forms.
Amir is a Middle Eastern musician, instructor, performer, and composer. Born and raised in Iran, he received extensive musical education throughout his youth. During his time at Tehran Music University, he focused on Tombak and Tar performance, while also learning vocal techniques and radif theory. After arriving in the U.S. in 2003, he expanded his instrumental repertoire, learning a variety of percussion traditions from around the world. Amir continued his musical education at University of California - Santa Cruz, studying Classical Composition and Arrangement, as well as Clarinet Performance. Shortly after settling in the United States, Amir realized his passion for teaching and spreading a love of music by starting Amir School of Music. Since the school’s founding, Amir is proud to have taught Persian and Middle Eastern music to more than 400 students.
Sara Saberi is a soulful musician and dedicated yoga instructor, seamlessly merging the worlds of healing sound and mindful movement. Growing up in Tehran, she embarked on her musical journey at the age of 11 at the Music School of Tehran under oud masters Mansour Nariman, Hussein Behrouzinia, and Mohammad Firoozi. A graduate of Aali Music University, Sara has performed globally with many ensembles. From 2011 to 2014, Sara had the privilege of serving as the concertmaster of oud with the National Orchestra of Iran (Orchestr e Meli Iran), led by Bardia Kiaras and Arash Gooran, performing alongside Master Hussain Alizadeh. Her deep connection to the ancient vibrations of the Barbat in classical Persian music is reflected in her soulful music. Sara is also the proud founder of the all-women’s group Chista, embodying her strong advocacy for women’s freedom in music within her country. Her unique blend of music and yoga showcases her commitment to guiding individuals toward physical and emotional well-being, establishing her as a beacon of healing and transformation.
Azadeh Farpour finished vocal traditional Iranian music training with Pari Maleki and Master Mohsen Keramati in Iran, and has been performing concerts in Iran and US since 2010. She performed in the play"Tarabnameh" which is a traditional musical written and directed by Bahram Beyzaie in 2016& 2017 at Stanford University. She sang in the Let her sing program to support of women in Iran in 2019 in Yerba Buena Center in SF.Azadeh recently performed in Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in collaboration with Mima Goodarz.
Aydin Shaterian is a master of Iranian and Azeri tar and Setare. Son of the late Iranian tar master Mahmoud Shaterian, who was a pioneer in teaching the Azeri tar, Aydin was raised in a music-loving family and was trained by his father. Aydin and his brother Sahand Shaterian taught music at their family music school in Tabriz. Aydin currently lives in the San Fransisco Bay Area, performing at various concerts and events.
Purchase tickets and check out the Facebook event page!
