Kayhan Kalhor
Kayhan Kalhor, born on November 24, 1964, in Tehran, Iran, is a renowned Iranian musician and composer of Kurdish descent. He is a virtuoso of the kamancheh (spiked fiddle) and setar, and has been instrumental in popularizing Persian music worldwide.
Kalhor began his musical journey at the age of seven under the guidance of Master Ahmad Mohajer. By thirteen, he was performing with the National Orchestra of Radio and Television of Iran. At seventeen, he joined the Shayda Ensemble of the Chavosh Cultural Center, a prominent arts organization in Iran at the time.
In his late teens, Kalhor left Iran, traveling through Turkey, Romania, and Yugoslavia to reach Italy, where he continued his music studies. He later moved to Canada and graduated from Carleton University in Ottawa.
Throughout his career, Kalhor has collaborated with various international artists and ensembles, including the Silk Road Ensemble, with whom he won a Grammy Award in 2017. He has also worked with the Ghazal Ensemble, creating a fusion of Persian and Indian music traditions.
Kalhor's compositions often draw from the rich folk melodies of Iran's Khorasan and Kordestan regions, reflecting his deep connection to his cultural roots. His dedication to preserving and innovating within the realm of Persian music has made him a pivotal figure in the global music scene.