Sahba Motallebi to Perform Persian Music at Roulette

Robert Browning Associates, Lotus Music & Dance, and Roulette will present Queen of the Tar: Sahba Motallebi & Ensemble, an evening of Persian music celebrating solidarity and harmony, on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 8 p.m. at Roulette in Downtown Brooklyn.

Known as the "Queen of the Tar," Sahba Motallebi is internationally recognized for her performances on the tar, a traditional Persian stringed instrument. Her work draws on the classical modes of Persian music while incorporating original compositions and interdisciplinary collaborations.

Throughout her career, Motallebi has performed and collaborated with artists including Hossein Alizadeh, Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Yo-Yo Ma, and Kayhan Kalhor. She also contributed to the Grammy Award-winning album Fandango at the Wall. Her work focuses on preserving Persian classical music while exploring new approaches to its performance and composition.

The November 5 concert will begin with a solo performance by Motallebi, followed by an ensemble program featuring vocalist Marjan Vahdat, tar and bass tar player Reza Mohsenipour, and percussionist, flutist, and composer Hamid Mohsenipour.

Vahdat draws on Persian classical and regional vocal traditions, developing a contemporary style that explores themes of freedom, humanism, and connection. For more than two decades, she has collaborated with the Norwegian record label KKV (Kirkelig Kulturverksted), releasing recordings including Placeless with the Kronos Quartet and Mahsa Vahdat.

Reza Mohsenipour studied with Iranian musicians including Hossein Alizadeh and Farhad Fakhreddini before continuing his academic education at Sapienza University of Rome. He is the founder and artistic director of the Barbad Project, which creates works combining Persian musical traditions with contemporary and cross-cultural influences.

Hamid Mohsenipour previously performed as a flutist with the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and collaborated with the Iran Radio and Television Orchestra on numerous recordings. Since relocating to Rome in 2008, he has performed with the Santa Cecilia Conservatory orchestra and other ensembles. Alongside his brothers Reza and Navid, he co-founded the Barbad Project, which promotes Iranian culture through new compositions and reinterpretations of traditional musical forms.

The concert is part of Robert Browning Associates' 50th anniversary celebration of presenting world music events in New York.

Queen of the Tar: Sahba Motallebi & Ensemble will take place Thursday, November 5, 2026, at 8 p.m. at Roulette, located at 509 Atlantic Avenue at Third Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn.