By Michele E. Buttelman - The Signal - Santa Clarita, CA, U.S.A.Friday, August 3, 2007
Persian musician Hafez Nazeri has a vision where music can bridge the gap between cultures and a new form of music -one that equally melds old and new with a world view - can inspire people of all ages and cultures.
Nazeri, one of Iran's most influential young composers, will lead a performance of his large scale Rumi Symphony Project with the world premiere of the project's Cycle Number One at a single performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, on Friday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m.
"I think it is a phenomenal concert hall, the acoustics are wonderful," Nazeri said.
Nazeri's original compositions will be performed by a nine piece ensemble featuring both Persian performers and members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, including Nazeri's father - Shahram Nazeri, the internationally acclaimed vocalist from Iran.
The second part of the concert features all new compositions that have never been performed before.
The ensemble includes Liuh-Wen Ting, viola; Louise Schulman, viola, viola d'amore; Ben Hong, cello; Dennis Karmazyn, cello; David Allen Moore, double bass; Salar Nader, Indian Percussion; and Hussein Zahawy, daf, dohol, percussion.
Hafez Nazeri will also perform on the setar (a-four-stringed lute), during the concert.
"I am very delighted to have these magnificent musicians in my group," he said. "They are kind and very generous toward my project as well, they do whatever they can to help the project."
Nazeri said it is an honor to have his father perform his music.
"I cannot even put it in words how important my father is to me and how important it is for this group," he said. "He has a 1,000 years in his voice he is the perfect musician himself. He is like the Pavarotti of Iran, he is amazing."
Nazeri said his compositions reflect a new language of music.
"This is not just Persian music, it has elements of classical Western, American Jazz, Indian Ragas and African rhythms melded into a whole. It takes the tradition of Persian music, but makes it something more," he said.
In addition to his music, Nazeri wanted to share the philosophy of Rumi - the 13th century Persian poet, jurist and theologian. The Rumi Symphony Project celebrates the 800th anniversary of Rumi, who is known as the most popular Sufi poet in history.
"My father was the first person to set Rumi to music in Iran," Hafez Nazeri said.
Shahram Nazeri (who has been dubbed the Persian Nightingale) first set Rumi's Divan-e Shams to Persian music 35 years ago - which established a new tradition of Sufi music.
"Growing up in my family, I learned so much about Rumi, most important we learned about his philosophy of life. He was a philosopher, not just a poet. His poems are not just pieces of literature - but a philosophy of life."
"I have tried to portray a little bit of his philosophy in my music," Hafez Nazeri said. "Anyone can repeat his poem, what it is important is to create something that can convey his universal message as well - so I have tried to portray his ideas of life in my music. Rumi is an important figure in my music. Rumi's poetry talks about unity and love and peace and I have tried to send this message through my music."
Nazeri said he feels his music is able to connect people to each other.
"If you come to my concert there will be nine musicians coming from five or six different countries, with different languages, different musical backgrounds, sitting next to each other and creating music," he said. "It shows how we are all connected to each other and how we can all be united together."
Nazeri said he feels his music is needed at this time in history.
"When you listen to the news, you hear about war and you hear about people attacking each other, what you don't hear is the billions of people calling for peace. And my music is the sound of those people and where this can be heard," he said.
In addition to the message, Nazeri said his music is also about tradition and effort to create something entirely new.
"I wanted to create something new with this 7,000-year-old treasure that I had in my background and take that diamond - a deep and beautiful and ancient music - and take it to the 2st century," Nazeri said.
Nazeri said the Rumi Symphony Project will be an ongoing effort.
"I plan for this to continue for 20 to 30 years," he said. "I'm going to present new music and have different projects."
Nazeri also has released a new CD "The Passion of Rumi."
"Rumi Symphony Project cycle Number One," 8 p.m. Aug. 17, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Tickets: $35-150, plus VIP seating. (213) 227-9291 and available through TicketMaster.com or (213) 365-6500.
Visit www.musiccenter.org/wdch/
www.myspace.com/hafeznazeri
http://rumandhumble.com/
Persian musician Hafez Nazeri has a vision where music can bridge the gap between cultures and a new form of music -one that equally melds old and new with a world view - can inspire people of all ages and cultures.
Nazeri, one of Iran's most influential young composers, will lead a performance of his large scale Rumi Symphony Project with the world premiere of the project's Cycle Number One at a single performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, on Friday, Aug. 17 at 8 p.m.
"I think it is a phenomenal concert hall, the acoustics are wonderful," Nazeri said.
Nazeri's original compositions will be performed by a nine piece ensemble featuring both Persian performers and members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, including Nazeri's father - Shahram Nazeri, the internationally acclaimed vocalist from Iran.
The second part of the concert features all new compositions that have never been performed before.
The ensemble includes Liuh-Wen Ting, viola; Louise Schulman, viola, viola d'amore; Ben Hong, cello; Dennis Karmazyn, cello; David Allen Moore, double bass; Salar Nader, Indian Percussion; and Hussein Zahawy, daf, dohol, percussion.
Hafez Nazeri will also perform on the setar (a-four-stringed lute), during the concert.
"I am very delighted to have these magnificent musicians in my group," he said. "They are kind and very generous toward my project as well, they do whatever they can to help the project."
Nazeri said it is an honor to have his father perform his music.
"I cannot even put it in words how important my father is to me and how important it is for this group," he said. "He has a 1,000 years in his voice he is the perfect musician himself. He is like the Pavarotti of Iran, he is amazing."
Nazeri said his compositions reflect a new language of music.
"This is not just Persian music, it has elements of classical Western, American Jazz, Indian Ragas and African rhythms melded into a whole. It takes the tradition of Persian music, but makes it something more," he said.
In addition to his music, Nazeri wanted to share the philosophy of Rumi - the 13th century Persian poet, jurist and theologian. The Rumi Symphony Project celebrates the 800th anniversary of Rumi, who is known as the most popular Sufi poet in history.
"My father was the first person to set Rumi to music in Iran," Hafez Nazeri said.
Shahram Nazeri (who has been dubbed the Persian Nightingale) first set Rumi's Divan-e Shams to Persian music 35 years ago - which established a new tradition of Sufi music.
"Growing up in my family, I learned so much about Rumi, most important we learned about his philosophy of life. He was a philosopher, not just a poet. His poems are not just pieces of literature - but a philosophy of life."
"I have tried to portray a little bit of his philosophy in my music," Hafez Nazeri said. "Anyone can repeat his poem, what it is important is to create something that can convey his universal message as well - so I have tried to portray his ideas of life in my music. Rumi is an important figure in my music. Rumi's poetry talks about unity and love and peace and I have tried to send this message through my music."
Nazeri said he feels his music is able to connect people to each other.
"If you come to my concert there will be nine musicians coming from five or six different countries, with different languages, different musical backgrounds, sitting next to each other and creating music," he said. "It shows how we are all connected to each other and how we can all be united together."
Nazeri said he feels his music is needed at this time in history.
"When you listen to the news, you hear about war and you hear about people attacking each other, what you don't hear is the billions of people calling for peace. And my music is the sound of those people and where this can be heard," he said.
In addition to the message, Nazeri said his music is also about tradition and effort to create something entirely new.
"I wanted to create something new with this 7,000-year-old treasure that I had in my background and take that diamond - a deep and beautiful and ancient music - and take it to the 2st century," Nazeri said.
Nazeri said the Rumi Symphony Project will be an ongoing effort.
"I plan for this to continue for 20 to 30 years," he said. "I'm going to present new music and have different projects."
Nazeri also has released a new CD "The Passion of Rumi."
"Rumi Symphony Project cycle Number One," 8 p.m. Aug. 17, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. Tickets: $35-150, plus VIP seating. (213) 227-9291 and available through TicketMaster.com or (213) 365-6500.
Visit www.musiccenter.org/wdch/
www.myspace.com/hafeznazeri
http://rumandhumble.com/
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