Nava Masters
Dr. Ali Analouei: A well-known percussionist, he has supported many Iranian orchestras with his powerful and wonderful single drum, Tombak. He has an exceptional talent and ability to produce a vast arrey of beats and sounds out of this very unique and simple instrument. He has taught this instrument for years and has produced some excellent recordings.

Dr. Houshang Hodjati: As a practicing physician, a gifted painter, and a physicist, he has a vast knowledge of Persian art. He has a wonderful voice and has performed in many cultural and academic circles. He has published a book on accoustics and the Iranian music, as well as some great recordings.

Shahriar Saleh: He has been teaching, recording, archiving and performing Persian Classical music for the last thirty years while working as a project manager with NIH. He plays the authentic hammer dulcimer, Santur. NAVA has been talented enough to have performed on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center for the last three consecutive years.

Young Players

Persian music is based on twelve principal modal systems: seven primary systems called Dastgahs and five secondary systems called Sub Dastgahs or Avaz. Each system is divided into a series of melodic sequences linked to each other in an unresolved continuity. These sequences are called Gusheh and their number varies depending on the Dastgah. Each Dastgah or Avaz constitutes a specific scale having three distinct notes: (a) Shahed (witness or root note), regarded as the tonal or modal center of the Dastgah (Key); (b) Eest (rest note), a temporary rest place for the melodies before as they gradually incline; and (c) Moteghayer (the variable note), which produces expressive colors. The entire group of the systems taken together constitutes the repertoire of Classical Persian Music or Radeef a word that means arrangement and order. Most of Radeef has no meter and follows a speech-like rhythm, but it also contains rhythmic pieces that normally have drum accompaniments.

The compositions are mostly based on the Radeefs. They include a Peesh Daramad, sometimes stately or lively piece, as the introduction of the Dastgah played by an ensemble in unison; the Chahar-Mezrab a virtuoso solo number with driving rhythm; the Tasneef (a lyrical song) and a Reng a dance-like piece usually in 6/8 meter.

Dastgah of Shur is chosen for this performance.