Yalda night concert 2018 - Iranian classical & folk music

When: Sat 15 December 2018 19:30-21:30
Where:

We are going to celebrate the longest night of the year with Iranian classical and folk. This programme is organised by the SOAS Iranian daf society. There will be a poetry recitation by Ms. Roshan Ravan, the popular presenter of radio Ahvaz in 1970-80s.

Performed by the SOAS Iranian band and guest performers.

DATE: Saturday 15 December 2018

Time: 7.30pm

VENUE: SOAS – DLT, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG

Tickets: £15 Regular / £10 Concs / £6 Students

Event on FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/278386509446900/ 

More details: www.thesantur.com

Samples of the past performances

https://soundcloud.com/santurista/garon-master
https://soundcloud.com/santurista/earl-of-jura-and-deylamanwav
https://soundcloud.com/santurista/delai-aman
https://soundcloud.com/santurista/impro-peyman-jamie-sass-16-11-16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ9TmR-6_Bo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxFJJD2JDPE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvSwbBKV_3o


Upcoming concerts:
War and Peace concert Saturday 27 Oct 2018 at SOAS.
https://www.facebook.com/events/175036396708942/

Shab-e Yalda 
===========
Yalda has a history as long as the Mithraic religion. The Mithraists believed that Yalda is the night of the birth of Mithra, the Persian god of light and truth. At the morning of the longest night of the year the Mithra is born from a virgin mother. In Zoroastrian tradition, Yalda remained an auspicious day, and included customs intended to protect people from misfortune. On that day, people were advised to stay awake most of the night. They have small parties and gatherings and eat the last remaining fresh fruits from summer.Following the fall of the Sassanid Empire and the subsequent rise of Islam in Iran, the religious significance of the event was lost, and, like other Zoroastrian festivals, Yalda became a social occasion when family and close friends would get together. Nonetheless, the obligatory serving of fresh fruit during mid-winter is reminiscent of the ancient customs of invoking the divinities to request protection of the winter crop. The 13th century Persian poet Sa'di wrote in his Bustan: "The true morning will not come, until the Yalda Night is gone".Following the Persian calendar reform of 1925, which pegged some seasonal events to specific days of the calendar, Yalda came to be celebrated on the night before and including the first day of the tenth Persian month (Dey ), on 20-21 December. Subject to seasonal drift, this day may sometimes fall a day before or a day after the actual Winter Solstice. Yalda Night was officially added to Iran's List of National Treasures in a special ceremony in 2008.With 

Best Wishes,
SOAS Iranian music society