Amir Haghighi and Amy Stephen are the featured performers in an afternoon of cultural crossover Sunday, Aug. 24, at 2:30 p.m. at Willow Farm. From stunningly beautiful to intense and exciting, Persian vocalist Haghighi and Celtic harpist Stephen combine musical forces to bring to life a stirring collection of ancient and new music from the Middle East to the Middle Ages.
Together, they perform intensely beautiful interpretations of Persian folk songs and classical poetry. Haghighi's passionate Persian traditional vocals backed by the gorgeous sounds of Persian instruments (frame drums, tar, setar, santur) plus the deft harp playing and subtle background vocals of Stephen is the perfect musical combination for another delightful summer concert within the exquisite setting of Music on the Rock at Willow Farm in West Sechelt.
Haghighi is well known for his powerful renderings of traditional Persian songs. He has been studying and singing Persian traditional music since his childhood in Tehran, Iran. Featured as a soloist and composer in the award-winning Canadian documentary Music for a New World, Haghighi's musical inspiration comes mainly from the spiritual, mystical elements of the great Persian poets. He has appeared at the Vancouver International Folk Festival, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and events in the U.S. and Europe and is currently a member of the Vancouver World Music Collective. Through his singing, Haghighi crosses cultural boundaries. He has expanded his musical horizons by collaborating with Stephen, a harpist, accordionist and vocalist known for her playing, lead singing and writing with Celtic band Mad Pudding. Tickets for the concert are $20 and are available at the garden gate or by calling 604-885-3989.
