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Homayoun Sakhi & Salar Nader, photo courtesy of the artists

Homayoun and Salar: The Art of the Afghan Rubab and Tabla

82nd Concert Series

  • Sunday, October 27, 2024
  • 3:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
  • West Building, West Garden Court
  • Performances
  • In-person
  • Registration Required

Enjoy the traditional music of Afghanistan through the mastery of legendary artists and teachers Homayoun Sakhi and Salar Nader.

At the heart of this musical odyssey is the enchanting sound of Sakhi’s rubab, Afghanistan's revered 21-stringed lute, renowned for its hauntingly soulful timbre. Nader adds the tabla's rhythmic pulse and fuses Afghan and Indian percussion to draw out the musical parallels with Hindustani music. The duo explores the essence of Ragas and the profound connection between two diverse yet harmonious traditions.

About the performers

In the wake of their families’ flight from Afghanistan following the Soviet-Afghan War of the 1980s, these master musicians perfected their art in the traditional ustâd-shâgird apprenticeship as disciples of the Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Mohammed Omar.  Nader has toured extensively with the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Stanley Clarke and appeared on Broadway with The Kite Runner. The duo performed on a Smithsonian Folkways recording series featuring the music of Afghanistan and Central Asia, sponsored by Aga Khan Music.

The duo aims for their music to act as a powerful reminder of the resilience and importance of preserving cultural heritage.