Echoes of Now

“Echoes of Now” is a performance, musically rooted in the Persian Dastgâh and the folk Tanbour Maqams of Kurdistan. The music unfolds through improvisation—shaped moment by moment, in front of the audience, and with the energy they bring into the space.

It is a meditative weaving of tones and rhythms, aligned with the breath of the listeners and the pulse of the moment. An ode to presence, it invites a thoughtful descent into silence, and a contemplation of life lived authentically.

This is not entertainment—it is a statement against the relentless rush that defines our daily existence.

Alireza Shah-Mohammadi

Alireza Shahmohammadi is a distinguished Iranian composer, vocalist, and music educator, widely recognized for his expertise in classical Persian music. He has a rich background in music studies, having begun his training at the age of eight under renowned masters such as Hatam Asgari Farahani, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, and Mohammad-Reza Lotfi.

Shahmohammadi is also a dedicated researcher in the works of Rumi and has played a significant role in the preservation and performance of traditional Iranian music. His released works include notable albums such as Navazheh, Sorgh-e Bahar (The Lament of Spring), Zogh-e Masti (Ecstasy), Siah-Mashgh, a concert with Master Mohammad-Reza Lotfi, Shoor-e Khorshid (The Sun’s Passion), and many others, all of which showcase his deep knowledge and mastery of Persian classical music.

Beyond national performances, he has also appeared internationally—most notably in collaboration with the esteemed Indian musician Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri in San Francisco, and with Theodore Bikel, the renowned actor and singer known for Fiddler on the Roof.

Shahmohammadi’s contributions extend beyond performance and recording. He is actively involved in music education and cultural event organization, reflecting his commitment to preserving and promoting the heritage of Iranian music. His studies and experiences in literature, philosophy, and Eastern wisdom have also led him to teach and research in these fields as part of his broader cultural and artistic mission.

Behfar Bahadoran

Born in Tehran / Iranian 1987

Studied under Iranian classical and folkore music masters including Homayoun Khorram,

Ramin Rahimi, Ali-Akbar Moradi, Darioush Talaei, and Hamid Motebassem

Visual Arts graduate from Maryland Institute College of Art

Composer, multi instrumentalist and a multidisciplinary visual artist

Founded Pejvak Ensemble in 2008

Band leader and cofounder of Sorvad Ensemble

Worked and performed alongside notorious international Musicians an artists such as Shahram Nazeri, Majid Derakhshani, Faraj Alipour, Pejman Hadadi, Pezhham Akhavass, Dawn Avery, John Wubbenhorst, Larry Mitchel, Kazem Davoudian, Susan Deyhim and Mojgan Shajarian.

Performs regularly at many prestigious venues in the United States including the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco; Lincoln Center and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; Kennedy Center, Lisner Auditorium and Freer Shackler Gallery in Washington D.C.

Host or Publisher Pejvak Ensemble