World Music Institute to Present Simon Shaheen & Mehrnam Rastegari in Brooklyn
The concert takes place at Roulette Intermedium, spotlighting Persian and Arabic string traditions.
World Music Institute will celebrate Persian and Arabic string traditions with an extraordinary concert that presents two generations of master musicians, exemplifying the remarkable talent that WMI has had the privilege to showcase throughout its 40-year legacy. The concert will take place at Roulette Intermedium on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
Oud and violin maestro, composer, bandleader. educator Simon Shaheen is recognized as one of the most prominent Arab musicians of our time, celebrated for his exceptional contributions to both traditional and contemporary music. Nominated for eleven GRAMMY Awards, Shaheen has released seven albums, all celebrated for virtuosity and dazzling technique, as well as the original compositions that fuse Arab tradition with jazz improvisation. As an educator. Simon is a professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and founded a popular, long-running annual Arabic Music retreat that's trained a whole new generation of musicians. In 1994 Shaheen was awarded the National Heritage Award at the White House for his unique contributions to the American cultural landscape.
Mehrnam Rastegari is a critically-acclaimed instrumentalist, vocalist, and award-winning film composer who has graced prestigious stages around the globe. Rastegari is a master of the kamancheh, the Persian spiked fiddle. Grounded in Persian classical music, Merhnam is versatile enough to fuse Persian microtonal music with psychedelic rock and jazz with her various ensembles; while still demonstrating her mastery of the traditional repertoire as a solo artist. Her debut album, Dislocated Pulse, was released earlier this year and was recognized by Songlines magazine as their Top of The World album pick for March 2026.
WMI's 40TH ANNIVERSARY LEGACY series features artists who have played an integral role in the 40-year history of World Music Institute, have been frequently presented by WMI throughout the years, and have significantly contributed to the organization's standing in New York's cultural landscape.
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