As part of the SDSU Music Department's World Music Series, Dornob will present classical, folk, and original music from Iran.
Dornob are a multi-cultural multi-generational collective of musicians who've been playing Iranian music(s) in San Diego since 1984. Their goals, in addition to friendship and fun, include learning the musical tradition, fostering creativity, and crossing cultural bridges.
Just as Persian, Arabic, and Turkish are names of languages widely spoken in the area known today as the Middle East, so are they names given to three related musical systems of that area. Even though Middle Eastern music had a profound effect on European music prior to the 17th century, with the invention and adoption of the 12-tone system in Europe, Persian / Turkish / Arabian musics took a different evolutionary path, retaining their so-called “quarter-tones” which are absent from the 12-tone chromatic scale.
Persian, Turkish, and Arabic musics share a concept called maqâm, which is similar to a Western scale. Persian music additionally uses a system called dastgâh, which provides a framework for navigating between different maqâms or scales. There are 7 main dastgâh, each with its own mood and roadmap of tonal possibilities. The dastgâh system, like the majority of the world’s music, is an oral / aural tradition, taught heart to heart from master to student. The repertoire used in teaching is called radîf. In the last century many melodies from the dastgâh system have been notated, however performances of Persian music, like jazz, always involve on-the spot creation and improvisation.
Some common forms include: Daramad ("opening" or free voice or instrument improvisation), PishDaramad (a stately composed piece to preceed the Daramad), ChaharMezrab (an improvised virtuosic piece), Tasnif (song), and Reng (a composed, fast piece in 6/8 used to conclude a performance).
Admission/Cost: $10 - $15
Location:
Smith Recital Hall
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Dr.
San Diego, CA 92182
Monday, September 12 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
