Only Voice Remains: A recital co-curated by Niloufar Nourbakhsh & Sparks & Wiry Cries
$25 ($6.91 convenience fee applies); $28 at the door
- Mahya Hamedi, voice
- Ava Nazar, piano
- Farnaz Ohadi, voice
- Karen Ouzounian, cello
- Abigail Sinclair, soprano
Niloufar Nourbakhsh — Dawn (world premiere; based on texts by Persian poet Farrokhzad translated by Sholeh Wolpe)
"Only Voice Remains" is a new sparksLIVE project premiering in January of 2024 and co-curated by Sparks & Wiry Cries and composer Niloufar Nourbakhsh. The title is inspired by Iranian poet Forugh Farrokhzad's poem of the same name, in a program that explores themes of exile, loss, and migration, using a diverse range of vocal traditions rooted in Iran and neighboring regions. The music in this program explores the intersection of Persian Flamenco, contemporary singer-songwriters, and Iranian classical music intertwined with the western classical recital format. Also highlighted on the program is the Pashtun Landay – a poetic folk couplet shared by women that exists primarily through an oral tradition. Set to music by Juhi Bansal for soprano, piano, and cello, these poems highlight similar motifs of struggle and triumph echoing down generations from woman to woman. Artist performers on this program include: Mahya Hamedi (vocalist), Ava Nazar (pianist), Farnaz Ohadi (vocalist), Karen Ouzounian (cellist courtesy of Silk Road Ensemble), and Abigail Sinclair (soprano).
About Sparks & Wiry Cries
Sparks & Wiry Cries exists to curate opportunities for art song creators, performers, and scholars.
It began in 2009 as a podcast and online magazine, contextualizing art song through the sharing of recordings, interviews, and articles by prominent artists and scholars. In 2015, co-founders soprano Martha Guth and pianist Erika Switzer expanded their vision by presenting an art song recital series based in New York City and today our sparksLIVE events and Art Song Magazine actively engage in current conversations through insightful publishing, programming, and commissioning. Recent additions to the Sparks brand are the curation and publication of new works through E.C. Schirmer and NewMusicShelf, and the development of art song performance projects as represented by UIA Talent Agency.
https://www.sparksandwirycries.org/