(Radio Khiyaban, Karaj)

Some music instruments carry a whole world of tradition, faith and culture. It’s the case of the tanbur, a millennia-old lute strongly tied to the city of Kermanshah (western Iran). Its practice is associated with mystical Yarsan religious beliefs, and its knowledge is passed down through generations. Mohammad Mostafa Heydarian, a young master of the instrument, was immersed in this culture from an early age, as he began learning the maqams (modes/scales) as a child, and now he’s sharing his hypnotic compositions on the tanbur, as if it was an extension of his soul. Reflective and profound, his music unfolds through repetitive melodies and rhythms which gradually, gently evolve, for a style that is deeply personal, yet deeply connected with history.