We celebrate šab-e yaldā

Šab-e yaldā is the night of the winter solstice: Our program ranges from Persian poetry, presented by Najia Ahmad, Christine Maurer and Turfa Noor, to classical rubab music from Afghanistan with Abdul Samad Habib and Parviz Ayan to Embryo. The legendary music collective consisting of Marja Burchard, Maasl Maier and Jakob Thun combines Krautrock, jazz, free improvisation and non-European rhythms.

Musicians:

Abdul Samad Habibi – Rubab

Born in Kabul in 1954, he had an interest in traditional Afghan music from an early age and wanted to learn to play the rubab. He studied the rubab with the master Ustad Mahamad Omar Sultane and had already performed during his studies as an officer in Kabul. He plays pieces whose lyrics are written in Pashto and Farsi. He likes to quote melodies by Ahmed Zaher and Ahmed Wali, but is also very well versed in old traditional Afghan pieces.

Parviz Ayan – Tabla
Born in Kabul, he started playing the tabla at the age of 13. He has been learning from great North Indian tabla masters such as Guruji Pt. Biplab Mondal and Taalyogi Pt. Suresh Talwalkar for many years. Parviz Ayan has an excellent command of the Afghan and Indian tabla technique and has thus developed his very own style.

Parviz Ayan and Abdul Samad Habibi have been playing with the group Embryo for over 15 years.