Amiri & Elham – Live At The Langham

This duo highlights the delicate balance between sound and silence, presence and absence, as the tar and santur intertwine in a musical dialogue. In “MA”, the space between notes, much like the space between people, holds meaning, fostering a sense of connection that transcends individual expression. The music is not just a performance, but a meditation on unity, where “us” represents the shared creative journey of the musicians. The interplay of the tar’s resonant strings and the santur’s shimmering tones form a conversation that invites listeners to experience both the sound and the silence, the individual and the collective. Together they create a space where Persian tradition and contemporary expression converge, celebrating the power of unity and the beauty found in the spaces between.

Amir Amiri is a Santur player, composer, and cultural inventor. A CBC Artist of the Year (2003), Amir performs and tours regularly with a vast spectrum of ensembles, enchanting with his signature down-to-earth style and connection with audiences. He dwells at the centre of a unique musical universe where ancient inspiration, dazzling virtuosity, and bold creativity meet. He has composed the soundtrack for Matthew Rankin’s film Universal Language, which was short-listed to represent Canada at the Oscars 2025 and won the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes Festival 2024. His latest album Ajdad / Ancestors : Echoes of Persia has been at the top of world music charts since last September.

Elham Manoucheri is a master of several traditional Persian instruments such as Tar, Setar, Shourangiz, and Robab. She has collaborated with a variety of musicians from multiple backgrounds and performed across Canada. Most notably, Elham performed repertoire dedicated to Persian culture with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in 2023. As the co-founder and singer of the DIBA collective upon her arrival in Montreal in 2014, she has since immersed herself in the city’s cultural fabric and cultivated her musical talents. Elham is supported by the Conseil des arts de Montréal and the Canada Council for the Arts.