Presented by Small World Music and TO Live

Celebrate Lunar New Year with us!

Three masters and long-time friends join together in a new collaboration. Kayhan Kalhor (kamancheh), Wu Man (pipa), and Sandeep Das (tabla) are celebrated soloists in their individual traditions, all known for bringing those traditions out to the wider world. Their new trio highlights - and unites - the ancient traditions of Iran, China, and India in celebration of Lunar New Year.

Three-time Grammy nominee Kayhan Kalhor is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso on the kamancheh, who through his many musical collaborations has been instrumental in popularizing Persian music. Recognized as the world’s premier pipa virtuoso and leading ambassador of Chinese music, Wu Man has carved out a career as a soloist, educator, and composer, giving her lute-like instrument a new role in both traditional and contemporary music. A Guggenheim Fellow and Grammy Award-winning musician, Sandeep Das is one of the leading tabla virtuosos in the world today. Since his debut concert at the age of 17 with legendary sitar player Ravi Shankar, Das has built a prolific international reputation spanning over three decades.



Artists:

Kayhan Kalhor is a creative force in today’s music scene. His performances of traditional Persian music and multiple collaborations have attracted audiences around the globe. He has studied the music of Iran’s many regions, in particular those of Khorason and Kordestan, and has toured the world as a soloist with various ensembles and orchestras including the New York Philharmonic and the Orchestre National de Lyon. He is co-founder of the renowned ensembles Dastan, Ghazal: Persian & Indian Improvisations and Masters of Persian Music.

Born in Hangzhou, China, Wu Man studied at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where she became the first recipient of a master’s degree in pipa, which has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. She has premiered hundreds of new works for the pipa, while spearheading multimedia projects to both preserve and create global awareness of China’s ancient musical traditions. In 2021 she received an honorary doctorate of music from the New England Conservatory of Music.

Sandeep Das is one of the leading Indian tabla virtuosos in the world today. Debuting at the age of 17 with legendary maestro Ravi Shankar, he went on to establish a prolific international career that now spans more than three decades. His original compositions have been performed in over 50 countries including China’s Forbidden City Concert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Hollywood Bowl. He launched Transcending Borders One Note at a Time in 2020 to widespread international acclaim, which seeks to harness the power of music to create positive social change.

The 2024 Small World Music Series is sponsored by TD Bank Group through the TD Ready Commitment and funded by the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council.