ABOUT THIS EPISODE
This week on Cafe International, santur virtuoso Amir Amiri joins us for a live session where we learn about this history of this ancient Persian instrument.
Born in Tehran, Iran, Amiri is a master of the santur, a 72-string instrument dating from approximately 500 BCE.
Since arriving in Canada in 1996, Amiri has created numerous groundbreaking ensembles including the Amir Amiri Ensemble, inspired by the fluidity of musical influences in Iran and featuring the hypnotic presence of a Whirling Dervish; and Ensemble Kimya, a Montreal-Paris collaboration, combining early classical and contemporary music from Europe, the Middle East and India. Perséides, his duo with double bass player Jean Félix Mailloux, was featured at the National Arts Centre’s Sounds of Persia: Canada’s New Music Masters in 2018, where Amiri was Artistic Director. His duo Moody Amiri, with violist Richard Moody, has been praised by CBC for its “tantalizing blend of eastern and western sensibilities”. Amir is also occasionally joined by his fellow master improviser, the jazz pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, in an evening of musical exploration and discovery.
Amir Amiri was awarded the 2003 CBC Artist of the Year from the Galaxie Rising Stars Program. He performs and tours with a vast spectrum of ensembles, enchanting with his signature down-to-earth style and profound connection with audiences.
With host Dan Rosenberg
