21-Day Grand Iranian Music & Performance Journey

Focus: Southern Ritual & Trance Music

• High-energy Bandari music featuring ney-anban and percussion.
• Private cultural session introducing Zār ritual music, a trance-healing ceremony rooted in Afro-Gulf traditions (with cultural explanation by local practitioners).

This is one of the few regions in Iran where Zār traditions remain active.

• Luri ballads with sorna and dohol.
• Rural gathering highlighting pastoral and heroic songs.

(Base in Uraman Takht)

• Spiritual tanbur and daf ensemble in an intimate mountain setting.
• Introduction to Kurdish Maqam traditions and poetic storytelling.

Kermanshah

• Experience sacred Tanbur (Sāz) music connected to Yarsan spiritual heritage.

• Dialogue with local masters about modal structures.

Visit Isfahan Music Museum

Ispahan

• Guided instrument tour with live demonstrations.

• Experience Naqqāreh-khāni (ceremonial kettledrum performance), traditionally played in royal squares and shrines.

• Attend a traditional Ta’zieh performance (Shi‘a passion play blending drama and vocal music).
• Learn about melodic modes used in religious performance traditions.

• Turkmen dutar performance.
• Oral epic storytelling session by local musicians.

• Eastern Iranian dotar recital.
• Exploration of rhythmic cycles unique to Khorasani music.

• Experience ceremonial Naqqāreh drumming traditionally performed at major shrines.
• Discussion of music in sacred architecture.

• Evening Naqqāli performance (dramatic storytelling of the Shahnameh) in a traditional teahouse setting.
• Introduction to rhythmic vocal narration styles.

• Attend a traditional Ru-Howzi comic musical theatre performance (improvised courtyard theatre with music and satire).
• Explore links between folk theatre and urban musical culture.

Highlight Performance

Live concert by Rastak Venue suggestion: Vahdat Hall Rastak performs curated arrangements of regional Iranian music, including Kurdish, Luri, Bandari, Turkmen, and more — making it a perfect musical summary of the journey.

Additional Classical Option

Concert program featuring works associated with Mohammad Reza Shajarian or Shahram Nazeri repertoire.