MOHAMMAD MOSTAFA HEYDARIAN (Iranas) koncertas | Vilnius

On Monday, March 30, at 7 p.m., KKC will host a concert by MOHAMMAD MOSTAFA HEYDARIAN, a master of the tanbur (an ancient long-necked stringed instrument originating in Persia) from Iran.

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MOHAMMAD MOSTAFA HEYDARIAN was born in Kermanshah, a city in western Iran. Kermanshah is the home of the tanbur, a pear shaped lute whose origins can be traced in the region for more than 5000 years.

The Yarsans, a millennium sect of Kurdish people, have long made this region of the country their home. Their mystic rituals (jâm) are performed with tanbur, and the sacred music they play is a heritage that is steeped in one thousand years of tradition.

Mostafa's father, Morteza, was a percussion player whose main musical instrument was the dâf, a frame drum. At the age of twenty, Morteza began learning how to make tanbur, and it was in this world of traditions, family, faith, and culture that Mostafa was born and learned the art of music.

When Mostafa was a teenager he met Valentin Portron, a traveling French musician, who had travelled to Karaj to acquire and learn tanbur. Valentin asked Mostafa to record some tanbur parts for his rock band Portron Portron Lopez. This inspired Mostafa to create and record his first album, Songs of Horaman.

Mostafa was very excited, but worried about releasing the album at the age of 18. "I'm not a master!" he said.

However, the album was a success – it was soon released on cassette and vinyl in collaboration with Radio Khiyaban, Centripetal Force (USA), Cardinal Fuzz (UK), and Ramble Records (AUS).

Songs of Horaman received widespread recognition from Gonzo Magazine, the BBC, Mojo, WFMU, and the French television show On Connait La Musique.

Every year, Mostafa's father gives his son a newly made tanbur, each new instrument more impressive than the last.

In 2023, Mostafa and Valentin returned to the studio and recorded their second album, Noor-e Vojood, in two days. The title, which means "light of existence," has a deep meaning for Mostafa.