Kurdophone
»Kurdistan« Festival
Art music with a lot of groove
His passion for Kurdish and Iranian music prompted the singer and instrumentalist Omid Darvish to establish the ensemble Kurdophone in 2017. Born in the cultural melting pot of Vienna, the five-piece band combines the elegance of Persian art music with influences from jazz, rock and contemporary classical music. At their Elbphilharmonie concert, Kurdophone also presents new pieces setting the Kurdish epic »Siyawasch« to music.
The band includes Omid Darvish on the Kurdish-Persian long-necked lute tembûr and his fellow Iranian Amir Ahmadi on the piano, as well as Sarvin Hazin playing the violin and the Iranian bowed lute kamancheh. The rhythm section consists of Helene Glüxam on double bass and Amir Wahba on percussion. Omid Darvish’s dark, melancholy voice sings the dramatic story of the epic with the Persian prince Siyawasch at its centre. The texts are sung in the Kurdish Kalhori language and in the Gorani dialect. An interesting and varied music, sometimes filigree, sometimes explosive, that fluctuates between fixed structure and improvisation, as was already the case on Kurdophone’s 2019 debut album »Isomer«.
Performers
Kurdophone
Omid Darvish tembûr, vocals
Sarvin Hazin violin, kamancheh
Amir Ahmadi piano
Helene Glüxam bass
Amir Wahba percussion
Programme
Iranian Kurdish Maqam music meets jazz grooves
Festival
Kurdistan