VAHDAT Mahsa (Iran)
Masa Vahdat (Iran)
Mahsa Vahdat was trained in classical Persian singing by master musicians in Iran as well as in regional and traditional Iranian music. After the Islamic Revolution in 1979 in Iran, the female voice was banned in public and even some years
after the revolution female singers can only perform for womenonly
audiences or alongside a male voice, and can never perform
solo in public; a process of elimination of the female voice in the
performing cultural heritage in Iran. But many female singers in Iran
have continued singing regardless, as have sisters Mahsa and Marjan Mahdat, who
give private concerts in Iran but mostly perform outside of the
country.Their repertoire is inspired by regional and traditional
music from Iran with their own musical expression; their lyrics are
mostly mystical and love poems from great Persian poets like
Hafez, Rumi, Saadi from several centuries ago, as well as
contemporary Iranian poetry speaking about Iranian society. An
active campaigner for human rights,Mahsa gives numerous benefit
concerts and, with Marjan, is also one of the ambassadors of
Freemuse, an independent international organisation advocating
freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide.
She has attracted considerable attention recently with her work on
the Lullabies from the Axis of Evil CD and series of concerts.
You can download application for workshop Traditionnal Persian vocal music HERE.
You can listen to some songs from Mahsy Vahdat: