ArtStage & Vaak Records proudly present Ali Akbari Moradi, ‘the best tanbur player alive’ (Songlines Magazine) and ensemble.

Ali Akbar Moradi was born in 1957 in Guran, not far from Kermanshah, the main city of Kermanshah province. He was encouraged by his grandfather and his father and started studying the tanbour at the age of six. He was taught by Sayyed Hachem, Kafashyan, sayed Mahmoud Alavi, Ali Mir Darvishi, Allah Morad Hamidi and Sayyed Vali Hosseyni with whom he learned not just his mastery of the instrument but also of the Kurdish maqam repertoire.

He gave his first recital at the age of 14, in Kermanshah. One year later he founded the first Tanbour group within the cultural department of the Kermanshah city. He began to tour in Iran. Aliakbar was one of the founder of Shams tanbour ensemble. In 1991, he won first prize at the String Instrument Festival. Starting in 1992, he started a research on the ancient maqam of tanbour which resulted in four CDs and booklet published in 2002 by Maison des Cultures du Monde. Moradi has published over 23 recording and books over the years. He has collaborated with many musicians such as, Shahram Nazeri, Kaykhosroo pour Nazeri, Kayhan Kalhor, Ardashir and Bijan Kamkar, Pejman Hadadi, Erdal Erzanjan, Ulas Ozdemir, Pezhham Akhavass, Mehdi Bagheri, and Arash and Kourosh Moradi.

In addition to his research, publications and concerts, he teaches the tanbour in Teheran and Kermanshah. AliAkbar currently resides in Kurdistan, Iran where he has built a cultural center, The House of Tanbour, in Guran. The House of Tanbour offers year around music classes, yearly Tanbour and Kurdish music festivals to preserve the rich culture of the region.

This event will last approximately 80 minutes, without an interval.