The Golden Road spotlights Afghan rubab virtuoso Homayoun Sakhi at the Kay Meek Arts Centre, November 18
Musician is joined by setar player Kiya Tabassian, percussionist Hamin Honari, and bamboo flutist Shashank Subramanyam in Early Music Vancouver copresentation
Kiya Tabassian (left) and Homayoun Sakhi.
Kay Meek Arts Centre and Early Music Vancouver present The Golden Road on November 18 at 7:30 pm
THE AFGHAN RUBAB, a national instrument of Afghanistan alongside the zerbaghali hand drum, is a type of double-chambered lute that produces a marvellously fast-paced acoustic string sound with dramatic cadences in rhythm.
Homayoun Sakhi is indisputably one of the rubab’s greatest players. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan in 1976, he began learning to master the instrument at age 10 with lessons from his father. After seeking refuge in Peshawar, Pakistan with his family in 1992 due to Soviet conflict in Afghanistan, Sakhi began gaining recognition for his impressive skills.
Since moving to Fremont, California in 2001, he’s established a respected name for himself as a musician, composer, and vocalist. Founding the Rubab Academy online music school, releasing four studio albums, and becoming a guest artist with the world music ensemble Constantinople are among Sakhi’s many accomplishments.
It’s his time with Constantinople that is the uniting force behind The Golden Road, Sakhi’s upcoming group concert at the Kay Meek Arts Centre. He’s accompanied by Iran-born, Montreal-based setar player Kiya Tabassian, who’s co-founder and artistic director of Constantinople; plus Iranian-Canadian percussionist Hamin Honari, a core member of the ensemble, playing the tombak and daf drums. Indian musician Shashank Subramanyam, a fellow Constantinople guest artist, completes the foursome with his expertise on the bamboo flute.
Together, the four artists converge musical traditions from their ancestral countries of Afghanistan, India, and Iran, resulting in a sophisticated, utterly satisfying mix of cultures and melodies.
You can find last-minute tickets to see the virtuosos, plus more details, at Kay Meek Arts Centre.
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