About This Activity
Javad Ashrafi, setar and tar player, teacher and band leader, will treat us to an overview of Persian classical music. He will discuss the history of the music and what has happened in the Persian classical music scene in the past century. He will introduce characteristics of the music, including the Dastgah system, the Persian music structure of scales and modes that guide musicians in their composition and improvisation, and highlight the differences between Persian music and Western music. Famous Persian musicians and the most popular musical instruments will be presented, using live examples performed by Ashrafi. Along with a question-and-answer segment, the audience will have the opportunity to physically examine and try some of the instruments. Javad Ashrafi is a setar (a Persian string instrument similar to the lute) and tar player. He learned to play setar from Master Jalal Zolfonoon in Iran. In 1985, he traveled to the United States to continue his education and received a Master's Degree in Urban Design from the Ohio State University. Since 1988, he has been teaching various Persian instruments, including the setar, tar, and daf to students in Columbus, Ohio. He has performed in various Persian traditional music concerts in Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. He was the recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Grant for Apprenticeship program between 1993 and 1998. He has been a guest lecturer, presenting an Introduction to the Persian Classical Music System, at various universities in Ohio. At present, he leads a band, Hamava Persian Music Ensemble, and is involved with various musical and artistic projects in Columbus. The Hamava Persian Music Ensemble performed at the McConnell Arts Center in May of 2024 and will be at the MAC on Saturday, September 6th.
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