PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DIASPORA ARTS CONNECTION

Marjan Vahdat and Sahba Motallebi are internationally known musicians who have recently begun collaborating. Their music is rooted in Persian classical and folk traditions while reflecting their own unique expression. Joined by Nariman Asadi on tombak and daf, the concert features poems from both classical and contemporary Persian music, including Forough Farrokhzad, Hafez, and Rumi, creating a musical journey that blends tradition, poetry, and modern expression.

Marjan Vahdat

Marjan Vahdat is an Iranian award-winning singer and musician. Her career has given a deeper knowledge of Iranian poetry and music to large audiences in Europe, America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.

Marjan has developed her personal style based on the Persian vocal tradition of classical and regional folk music, with a contemporary expression. She always searched for ways to make her music relevant to the present world. Even if the origin of her style is Iranian, she believes in her music’s ability to express a universal message of humanism and freedom.

She has developed a unique style of performance, rooted in Persian classical and regional vocal music traditions, and infused with contemporary and innovative expressions and influences. Her many performances and recording projects include collaborations with many of the World's Most acclaimed musicians.

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Sahba Motallebi

Sahba Motallebi is a Grammy Award-winning musician, composer, author, and visionary healer whose work bridges art, sound, and consciousness. An internationally recognized master of the Persian Tar, she is celebrated for her ability to transform music into a vehicle for emotional and spiritual healing.

With decades of experience as a performer and educator, Sahba has shared her artistry through concerts, recordings, books, and global teachings. Her work is known for its expressive depth, technical mastery, and spiritual presence, reflecting a lifelong devotion to the sacred power of sound.

Sahba expanded her path beyond music into holistic and energy based healing. Trained in multiple modalities. She weaves sound, frequency, intuition, and embodied wisdom into an integrative approach to transformation.

Beyond her professional life, Sahba is a devoted mother to her two children, Leily and Shishi, who remain a constant source of inspiration for her continued evolution as both an artist and a human being.

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Nariman Assadi

Nariman Assadi is an Iranian musician. Raised in Tehran, he was always drawn to percussion instruments, and at the age of thirteen, he began studying the Tombak under Master Amir Mogharab Samadi. From 2008 to 2013, Nariman performed at Vahdat Hall as a soloist and with the Persian Percussion Ensemble at Pars Academy, the premier music academy for children. After mastering Tombak, he began learning Daf under the great Master Bijan Kamkar. With a strong understanding of Tombak and Daf, Nariman then began learning Barbat (Oud) under Master Mohammad Firouzi. In 2015, Nariman immigrated to the United States, where he immediately began his professional music career by performing and attending festivals. Along with being a member of various ensembles, Nariman is a certified Orff teacher and teaches Daf, Tombak, and Music for children.

In 2022, he toured all over the United States with Afra Ensemble, led by Master Hossein Behrouzina, and additionally, Nariman released his first album, Larzanah, Improvisation of Iranian Folk Music, with Master Faraj Alipour on vocals and Kamancheh. Currently, he teaches Iranian Music at Farsi Schools in Sacramento and the Bay Area. He also teaches music at more than seven elementary schools in Sacramento.