HOUSTON, September 16, 2013 — Tehran-born Mahsa Vahdat's voice not only captures the vibrant music scene of her homeland, but is also an inspiration for artistic fearlessness. Since the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 1979, cultural policies have forbidden women like Vahdat from singing in public. With limited access to public stages in Iran, her acclaimed music reaches audiences across the United States and in Europe, Asia, and Africa. As an advocate for the Freemuse Organization—an international organization fighting for freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide—and as a recipient of the Freemuse Award in 2010, Mahsa Vahdat continues to defy barriers and is a champion of artistic expression. Vahdat explains in a Freemuse interview that her motivation to share her gift drives her forward and she cannot be prevented from making music. “I am presenting the beauty of my country,” she says.

On October 17 at 7:30 pm, Mahsa Vahdat will return to The Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater, this time with her sister Marjan Vahdat and instrumentalists Pasha Hanjani (ney/flute), Atabak Elyasi (setar/lute), and Ali Rahimi (daf/frame drum) for an evening of old and new Persian music. Sponsored by Bank of America, tickets for Twinkling of Hope: Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat in Concert are $20 for Asia Society members and $25 for nonmembers. Join us for an evening rich in Persian music traditions and voices — and voices that help its legacy reach every corner of the world.

Reported by Kathryn Miles

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Iran Modern, On view at Asia Society New York through January 5, 2014
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