RUMI NATIONS

Journey through the life and legacy of Jalal al-Din Muhammad, known as Maulana or Rumi, in the Temporary Exhibitions Gallery before experiencing the mystical words of one of history’s most renowned poets come to life in the Auditorium. Set to music under the direction of Pooria Pournazeri, the showcase features a lineup of accomplished artists, the turn of the dervish, and original poetry in the Sufi tradition by Tawhida Tanya Evanson.
About the Artists
Tawhida Tanya Evanson 

Poet, author, producer, and Aşık from Tiohtià:ke/Montréal Tawhida Tanya Evanson’s poetry collections include, Bothism (2017) and Nouveau Griot (2018). Her debut novel, Book of Wings (Véhicule Press 2021), won the 2022 New Contribution Literary Prize, was on the 2022 CBC Canada Reads Longlist, and was one of Quill & Quire’s 2021 Books of the Year. With a 25-year practice in spoken word, she has performed in over a dozen countries and released four studio albums as well as six video poems, including the award-winning Almost Forgot my Bones. In 2013, she was Poet of Honour at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word and received the Golden Beret Award for her contribution to the genre. Director of the Banff Centre Spoken Word program and vice president of The Quebec Writers’ Federation, her latest project is Cyano Sun Suite, a concert documentary film premiering in Spring 2023. She moonlights as a whirling dervish.

Pooria Pournazeri

Beginning his initiation into tanbur (Kurdish lute) at age six, Pooria Pournazeri’s musical education includes both traditional Persian and Kurdish repertoires, which he studied with his uncle Keykhosrow Pournazeri, a teacher of Sufi music. After studying thousand-year-old masterpieces, he composed his first work at 14, and at 16, he performed in the Fajr International Music Festival competition in Tehran, where he won third place. In 2009, he established Rivaan Ensemble in Tehran with his students and Iranian music masters to record Make the Earth Peaceful for the UN’s Act on Climate Change project.

Mahbod Zamani

At the age of 14, Mahbod Zamani began studying the tombak, a traditional Persian instrument, under the supervision of Majid Tarighi. He then completed advanced tombak studies under the supervision of Ataollah Kharazmi and went on to perform with Avaaye-Doost Ensemble in Sari at the age of 18. Since immigrating to Canada in 1997, Zamani has performed with several Persian and Middle Eastern musicians in Canada and the U.S.

Elham Manouchehri

A singer and multi-instrumentalist, Elham Manouchehri is a renowned traditional Persian lute, tar, setar, shurangiz, and rubab player. Co-founder and manager of the DIBA Ensemble, Manouchehri began has studied with Iranian musicians Ali Ghamsari, Arshad Tahmassbi, and the virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh. A lover of singing since childhood, she is a self-taught vocalist despite not having permission to sing in her country of origin, Iran — a catalyst for her immigration to Canada in 2014. Manouchehri has performed in Iran, France, and Canada and appears on several album recordings and television scores.

Reza Abaee

An Iranian-born composer, Reza Abaee is a masterful ghaychak musician, an artistic director, a music teacher, and music consultant. He performs traditional Iranian and fusion music, drawing inspiration from different cultures and musical traditions. Abaee has participated in the recording of over 50 albums and performed in over 300 concerts in North America, Europe, and Asia.