the National Radio and Television Orchestra Podcasts
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One of Iran’s most important musicians and composers, Kayhan Kalhor was born to Kurdish parents in Teheran and already as a thirteen-year-old found himself playing in the National Radio and Television Orchestra.
At the age of seventeen his career was abruptly interrupted by the Iranian Revolution. Alone, with nothing but a suitcase and his favourite instrument – a kamancheh – he escaped to Europe and later to North America.
Since then he has become an internationally acclaimed soloist and collaborator with the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and the Silkroad Ensemble, the Kronos Quartet, the New York Philharmonic and many others.
In this interview, Kayhan Kalhor talks to Markus Görsch about tradition and innovation, about language, love and revolution.