Name: A Gathering of Light for Yalda 2024
Start: 2024-12-07T20:00:00-08:00
End: 2024-12-07T23:00:00-08:00
Location: Leon Event Hall

Diaspora Arts Connection and Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, San Francisco State University proudly presents “A Gathering of Light for Yalda” on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 8:00 PM at Leon Events Hall in San Francisco. Join us for a night of unity through music, dance, and poetry in honor of Shabe Yalda (Winter Solstice) as we envision peace and unity on earth, bringing light into the darkest nights of the year on Winter Solstice. The event will feature spiritual and folkloric music and dances by amazing musicians and dancers. We are proud to present Roxana Sarrafi on vocals, Aydin Shaterian on tar, Naghme Sarang on kamancheh, Nariman Assadi on percussion, and Farima Berenji and her dancers.
Saturday, December 7, 2024, Doors 7:00 PM, Show at 8:00 PM
Leon Event Hall, 5051 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94112
Tickets: https://events.humanitix.com/a-gathering-of-light-for-yalda-2024
@roxanasarrafi
@aydinshaterian
@farimaberenji
@naghme.sarang
@nariman.percussion
About the artists:
Roxana Sarrafi is a Persian classical and traditional vocalist whose passion for music ignited at a young age in Iran. Beginning her journey at 11, she learned the setar and tar alongside singing. Despite earning a master's degree in law, Roxana pursued music professionally from 2000, studying under renowned artists like Gh. Rezai, H. Nourbakhsh, and Parisa. Proficient in Persian Radif, Roxana has performed extensively in Iran, collaborating with notable musicians such as Alireza Ghorbani, Ali Ghamsari, and Ramin Behna. In the U.S., she has captivated audiences with concerts in Washington DC and California . In 2023, she participated in the prestigious Silk Road workshop in Boston, collaborating with acclaimed artists like Abeer Nehme and Kala Ramnath at the GMW Performance Festival.
Aydin Shaterian is a master of Iranian and Azeri tar and Setare. Son of the late Iranian tar master Mahmoud Shaterian, who was a pioneer in teaching the Azeri tar, Aydin was raised in a music-loving family and was trained by his father. Aydin and his brother Sahand Shaterian taught music at their family music school in Tabriz. Aydin currently lives in the San Fransisco Bay Area, performing at various concerts and events.
Nariman Assadi is an Iranian musician. Raised in Tehran, he always felt drawn to percussion instruments. At the age of thirteen, he began studying Tombak under Master Amir Mogharab Samadi. From 2008 to 2013, Nariman performed at Vahdat Hall as a soloist and with the Persian Percussion Ensemble at Pars Academy, the premier music academy for children. After mastering Tombak, he then began learning Daf under the great Master Bijan Kamkar. With a strong understanding of the Daf and Tombak, Nariman started learning Barbat (Oud) under Master Mohammad Firouzi. In 2015, Nariman immigrated to the United States. He immediately began his professional music career by performing and attending festivals. Along with being a member of various ensembles, Nariman is a certified-Orff teacher and teaches Daf, Tombak, and Music for children. In 2022, he toured all over the United States with Afra Ensemble, led by Master Hossein Behrouzina. Additionally, Nariman relaeasd his first album Larzanah, Improvisation of Iranian Folk Music, with Master Faraj Alipour on vocals and Kamancheh.
Currently, he teaches Iranian Music at Farsi Schools in Sacramento and the Bay Area. He also teaches music at more than seven elemantary schools in Sacramento. www.narimanpercussion.com
Farima Berenji is an award winning internationally acclaimed dance artist, ethnologist, choreographer, instructor, and archaeologist specializing in ancient, sacred, classical, and folkloric dances spanning the millenniums of Persian civilization, the Silk Road, and the Near East. Ever seeking excellence, she brings her years of devoted training, performance experience, and collaboration skill with musicians and dance professionals worldwide to perform and present classes, workshops, lectures, retreats, and tours upon dance technique, choreography, and traditions. http://farimadance.com/
Naghmeh Sarang is a virtuoso Kamancheh player and ethnomusicologist known for blending the rich traditions of Persian classical music with global influences. Born with a passion for music in a musician family, she began her formal music education at Tehran Music School, where she studied the Kamanche performance under the guidance of renowned musician Saeed Farajpoori. She further honed her skills with Ehsan Zabihifar, and Reza Parviz Zadeh. Her deep passion for Iranian and regional music traditions, led her to pursue further studies in ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she earned her Bachelor’s degree focusing on the traditional music of Iran, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with musicians worldwide and performed at prominent festivals and cultural events in Iran, Japan, and the U.S. Notable performances include playing with the Lernazang Ensemble for the LA Phil’s 100th anniversary (2019), performing at the Getty Villa Museum for the “Ancient Iran and the Classical World” exhibition (2022), and Collaborating with Disney on music for film and game projects, further showcasing her versatility as an artist in both traditional and contemporary contexts. (2023). She has also worked with Indian musicians on a special music project recorded and showcased at UCLA which highlighted the shared musical roots between Iranian and Indian classical traditions, blending the rich sounds of the Kamancheh with Indian instruments such as the Sitar and Tabla (2020). Through her performances, collaborations, and academic work, she continues to bridge the traditional music of Iran with global musical expressions, fostering cultural exchange and creating a deeper appreciation for the diversity and interconnectedness of world music.