Small World Music presents a newly created concert video celebrating Nowruz 1400.

The half-hour broadcast features singer Violet Re and Hossein Soleimani on kamancheh and vocals, backed by 'beatmap'. Exploring the story of Persian New Year via music old and new, along with dance and stories, Mapping Nowruz is an energetic celebration and a soulful reflection on the coming of spring in a year of hope.

Violet Re is a charismatic singer whose powerful voice can embrace traditional lyrical poetry and soar into intense rock with equal grace. As a female artist in Iran, she felt unable to express herself in music, but Violet has found a new home and her voice in Toronto. A member of Small World's eMERGEnce program, Violet performed as part of the company's 2020 online festival and will be premiering new work in the coming year.

Tehran-born Hossein Soleimani is highly regarded as a band leader, composer, kamancheh player and singer in Iran and increasingly, in his new home of Toronto. Since arriving in 2019, Soleimani quickly immersed himself in the local scene, performing at Sofar Sounds events, for the Cyrus foundation, and with his fusion project, The Path, which debuted with a sold-out concert in early 2020.

For almost two decades 'beatmap' has explored the intersection of a diverse range of musical forms. The group's sound draws on deep roots in funk, rock and jazz, merged with latin, African and Arabic rhythms, Persian traditions and electronica. The band is keen to work with emerging artists looking for musical support. The trio features drummer Alan Davis, Neil Gardiner on keyboards and accordion, and Sina Momtahan on bass, oud and more.