Farhang Foundation

08/14/2026

Not to be missed. Kronos Quartet with Mahsa & Marjan Vahdat at Stanford's Bing Concert Hall presented by Stanford Iranian Studies Program and Stanford Live. Tickets and more at https://live.stanford.edu/events/26-27season/bing-concert-hall/kronos-quartet/

🎶Join Stanford Live and Stanford Iranian Studies for a performance by Kronos Quartet, featuring Mahsa Vahdat and Marjan Vahdat on October 11 as part of the St. Lawrence Legacy Series!

For more than 50 years, San Francisco’s Kronos Quartet has reimagined what the string quartet experience can be. One of the most celebrated and influential groups in contemporary music, Kronos has given thousands of concerts, released more than 70 recordings, and collaborated with many of the world’s most accomplished musicians across many genres—winning three Grammy Awards and the Polar Music Prize.

On the second half of this concert, they reunite with singers Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, following their collaboration on the 2019 album “Placeless.” The Vahdat sisters are internationally acclaimed Iranian musicians, now based in the Bay Area, whose deeply personal vocal style is rooted in Persian classical and regional traditions.

🗓️Sunday, October 11, 2:30 PM
📍Stanford’s Bing Concert Hall

🎟️Limited tickets remain at link in bio.

08/12/2026

KOUBEH – ASEMOON (آسمون) | Official Music Video | World Premiere | Farhang Performances
Farhang Foundation proudly presents the world premiere of ASEMOON (آسمون), the new music video by the dynamic Iranian fusion ensemble KOUBEH, created exclusively for Farhang Performances.

Blending the rich traditions of Iranian music with contemporary global sounds, KOUBEH has established a distinctive musical voice that transcends borders while remaining deeply rooted in Iranian culture. With ASEMOON (“Sky”), the ensemble delivers an evocative and emotionally resonant work that reflects themes of hope, longing, resilience, and the enduring connection between humanity and the limitless sky above.

"Our arrangement of Asemoon begins with the understanding that this song belongs to a much longer story than our own. Rooted in the folk traditions of Shiraz and carried across generations through oral tradition, it is part of a living musical heritage that continues to evolve with each new voice.
Rather than recreating a historical version, we approach the song as an opportunity for conversation between traditions. We draw from the rhythmic language of Afro-inspired 6/8 grooves, honoring the centuries of cultural exchange that have connected the Persian Gulf with East Africa and have shaped many of the rhythms heard throughout Iranian music. These grooves become a meeting place where regional Persian traditions and broader musical histories intersect.
For Koubeh, arranging traditional songs is not about preserving them unchanged. It is about listening carefully to where they come from, recognizing the journeys they have already taken, and adding our own voice to that continuing story.

- KOUBEH

Vocals: Sima Shahverdi
Accordion: Nima Farzaneh
Drums: Kaveh Haghtalab
Guitar: Andres Nilsson
Bass: Isaac Levien
Arrangement: Kaveh Haghtalab

Download the single ASEMOON out now on Apple Music & Spotify.

Farhang Performances is dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary creativity of Iranian artists around the world through exclusive commissions and world premiere performances, bringing exceptional music of all genres to a global audience.

Discover more exclusive world premieres at:
Farhang.org/Performances

Follow Koubeh at: Instagram.com/KoubehBand

Follow Farhang Foundation:
Website: Farhang.org
Instagram: Instagram.com/FarhangFoundation
Facebook: Farhang Foundation

08/10/2026

Final days to experience Ala Ebtekar’s masterpiece, Luminous Ground, at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco!

Inspired by Persian architecture and our relationship with space, light, and time, this extraordinary installation creates an immersive world of reflection and wonder.

Come experience Luminous Ground before it is gone. ✨

08/07/2026

08/06/2026

QESHM by RITE OF STRINGS feat. Ismail Lumanovski | Official Music Video - Farhang Performances.
Farhang Foundation proudly presents the world premiere of “QESHM,” performed by RITE OF STRINGS featuring internationally acclaimed clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski.

Composed and arranged by Ehsan Matoori, “QESHM” is inspired by Qeshm Island, the largest island in the Persian Gulf. Its dramatic canyons, rugged coastlines, mangrove forests, and centuries of maritime culture form the backdrop for an imagined journey filled with wonder, movement, and limitless possibility.

Blending the rhythmic spirit of southern Iran with contemporary improvisation, “QESHM” is both a tribute to the island and a celebration of the freedom to imagine what lies beyond the horizon.

PERFORMERS:
Eylem Basaldi — Violin
Ehsan Matoori — Santoor
Ismail Lumanovski — Clarinet
Edward Perez — Bass
Engin Kaan Günaydın — Drums

ABOUT RITE OF STRINGS

RITE OF STRINGS is a contemporary global music ensemble co-directed by Iranian santoor player and composer Ehsan Matoori and Grammy Award-winning bassist and composer Edward Perez, alongside violinist and composer Eylem Basaldi and Grammy Award-winning drummer and composer Engin Kaan Günaydın.

Built around the distinctive combination of santoor, violin, bass, and drums, the ensemble explores memory, migration, longing, and light through original compositions and deeply personal arrangements. Its music moves across Persian, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, beyond-jazz, and contemporary chamber traditions, creating a shared language that is intimate, cinematic, and rhythmically dynamic.

ABOUT ISMAIL LUMANOVSKI

A graduate of The Juilliard School, Ismail Lumanovski is celebrated for his passionate sound, fearless virtuosity, and ability to move between classical music, improvisation, and the musical traditions of the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Salle Pleyel, Beijing Concert Hall, and the Emirates Palace, and has collaborated with artists and ensembles including Pierre Boulez, Al Di Meola, Marcel Khalife, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, and the New Juilliard Ensemble.

RITE OF STRINGS recorded its debut album, “Dust and the Moon,” at Pinch Recording Studio in New York City on May 13–14, 2026. The album will be released by Bright Shiny Things on August 28, 2026.

Learn more: https://Farhang.org/Qeshm

07/31/2026

Record-Breaking 2nd Annual SmorgasJOON 2026: A Delicious Taste of Iran in Los Angeles.
Farhang Foundation extends its heartfelt thanks to all the incredible Iranian food purveyors, chefs, artisans, and cultural partners who made this year’s festival so memorable and delicious.

We are deeply grateful to the entire Smorgasburg Los Angeles team for partnering with Farhang Foundation and helping bring this extraordinary celebration to life.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to the thousands of visitors who joined us on this warm summer day to celebrate Iranian culture and enjoy a delicious taste of Iran right here in Los Angeles. We can’t wait to welcome you back next year on Sunday April 25, 2027!

Learn more about Farhang Foundation and all our current programs, events and initiatives by visiting us at Farhang.org

Report shot and produced by Arash Rod.

07/25/2026

IRANAM - ایرانم by Mina Deris

A powerful highlight from Mina Deris’ hit single and music video, “IRANAM - ایرانم” (My Iran)—a heartfelt tribute to Iran, its enduring struggles, and the extraordinary resilience of its people.

Inspired by the poetry of Naser Nadimi and brought to life through music by an anonymous composer in Iran, “IRANAM” feels more powerful and urgent today than ever before.

Mina Deris delivered an absolutely breathtaking performance. Her commanding vocals, emotional depth, and soulful presence gave voice to the pain, strength, hope, and unbreakable spirit of a nation. Bravo to Mina for pouring her heart and soul into every note and creating a performance that stays with us long after the music ends.

Watch the full music video by visiting Farhang.org/Iranam

Produced by Reneh Studio�Directed by Shahab Ettekal