Iranian Kurdish artists enthuse audience during third show of Canada tour
TORONTO (Kurdistan 24) – It was an evening of rhythm and melody as Iranian Kurdish artists Shahram and Hafez Nazeri graced the stage during their Canada tour in the country’s busiest city on Sunday night.
The concert, the third of their five-city tour, was held at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in the heart of downtown Toronto.
Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate an incredibly divine evening of melodic sounds and heart-moving vocals from Shahram and his son Hafez as well as their band which included string and percussion instruments.
The auditorium filled as latecomers rushed to their seats eager for the performance to start. Shahram and Hafez were welcomed to rapturous applause as they took their spots on the stage.
When Shahram opened the show with his melodic moan, you could feel the goosebumps crawl on your skin and run down the back of your neck. Every deep vocal that followed seemed to bounce off the walls of the auditorium and create a soothing echo.
The audience responded positively to the performance with one attendee praising the brilliance of the performers.
“I think today’s performance has been brilliant, I am really happy to be here,” Razik, 38, told Kurdistan 24. “It’s a great event; I’m really glad to be here.”
Anna Kiarashpour, 26, said she was delighted to witness the live performance, adding she has been a fan of Hafez for years.
“Today’s concert was surreal. I could feel my heart thumping with every vocal from Hafez and his father, Shahram. I am a huge fan!”
Shahram, a 68-year-old contemporary Kurdish Iranian tenor from Kermanshah, has been composing and performing classical music for decades. Hafez, 39, has followed in his father’s footsteps and is a well-known musician and composer.
The crowd erupted in applause, whistles, and a standing ovation when Shahram performed a solo in Kurdish, dedicating the song to Kurdistan before he began.
Hussein Zahawy, a renowned daf player from the Kurdistan Region who is on the tour, told Kurdistan 24 after the show that the performers were delighted with the reception from the audience.
“Every time we come to Canada, the audience is always very, very aware and very receptive,” he said. “And it’s a pleasure for me to be working with ustad Nazeri as a Kurdish musician from Kurdistan.”
Zahawy said he has been working with Shahram and Hafez for over 12 years where they have performed across the globe from North America to Europe.
“Shahram Nazeri has a very important place in Persian classical music and also in Kurdish music.”
The Nazeri’s and their band will continue their Canada-wide tour with their next show scheduled for Oct. 27 in Calgary followed by a final performance in Vancouver on Oct. 28.