Ehsan Matoori on beauty of the music and poetry of Iran

Born in Iran in 1979, Ehsan Matoori is one of the leading Santoor virtuosos of today. Ehsan discusses the long and deep history, dating back thousands of years, of Persian music and poetry, his own journey, and his exciting new project, The Rite of Strings, whose debut album, Dust and the Moon will be released August 28th by Bright Shiny Things. For a deeper dive into Persian Music, here are a few artists Ehsan recommends. Mohammad Reza Shajarian – widely considered the greatest master of Persian classical vocal music. Hossein Alizadeh – one of Iran's most influential composers and tar/setar virtuosos. Faramarz Payvar – the legendary master who shaped the modern tradition of the Persian santoor. Parviz Meshkatian – an extraordinary composer and Persian santoor virtuoso whose music continues to inspire many of us. Pashang Kamkar – one of the great masters of the Persian santoor. Ardavan Kamkar – one of today's greatest Persian santoor virtuosos. Kayhan Kalhor – a master of kamancheh who has introduced Persian music to audiences around the world. Photo: Jacob Carlson