BE SINCERE AND PLAY SINCERELY – NAZANIN PEDARSANI
nazanin pedarsani iranian female tonbak player
Dr. Peyman Nasehpour speaks to promising female tonbak player, Nazanin Pedarsani. Nazanin Pedarsani, Iranian female tonbak player was born in Tehran,
Iran in 1988. At the age of 4, she showed interests in Iranian percussion music and started learning tonbak (Persian goblet drum) from Hossein Tehrani (not to be confused with the late maestro Hossein Tehrani, the father of modern tonbak). Later she was student of maestro Mahmoud Farahmand and learnt many important points of Iranian drumming and rhythms from him.
She learnt daf (Persian frame drum) from maestro Bijan Kamkar and tar (Persian plucked instrument) under the supervision of maestro Zeydollah Tolui and Mohammad Reza Ebrahimi.
She participated in different concerts and festivals in Iran and other countries such as Canada, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Armenia and Morocco. Once in the Young Soloists Festival of Iran, she was chosen as the best soloist by the referees of the festival.
PN: When did you start learning drums?
NP: When I was about four years old I saw a tonbak player and I became interested in tonbak and thanks to Mr.Hossein Tehrani, he accepted to teach me the tonbak and that was the time that I started learning the tonbak. Let me explain that Mr. Hossein Tehrani should not be confused with the late maestro Hossein Tehrani that is considered as the father of modern tonbak.
PN: Why started drumming?
NP: Well, as I explained when I saw that amateur tonbak player, I became fond of tonbak and with the help of the pianoinstructor of my sister, I was introduced to Mr. Hossein Tehrani. I also wish to appreciate my parents for their support and helping me as a child to go to the course for several years.
PN: But you play also Persian tar that is a melodic music instrument! Why? How does that effect your drumming?
NP: First of all I wanted to experience how to play a melodic instrument and since I was interested in Persian tar, I started learning this important instrument of Persian classical music at the age of 14, while I had learned a lot about the tonbak and it was actually very difficult to learn the tar, because when you play the instrument at a high level you enjoy that a lot, while it is so difficult to enjoy an instrument when you are a beginner. As a drummer, I believe that it is so important for a drummer to be acquainted with melodic pieces. Because then the drummer will be a better accompaniment for melodic instruments and vocalists. In my opinion, by listening to rhythmic compositions in Persian music, drummers can improve themselves in accompanying.
PN: Please tell us about your concerts. When was your first concert?
NP: The first time that I went on the stage to play the tonbak, I was six years old and I played with the children orchestra of our music school that all the members of this orchestra were less than 18 years old and I do remember that I was the youngest one. The first important concert that I payed on the tonbak and accompanied a women band in Vahdat Hall in Tehran, Iran, I was 15 years old. After that I made a lot of concerts in Iran, Canada and some European countries with different Iranian bands and a couple of famous Iranian musicians such as maestro Milad Kiai, one of the most famous santoor players of Iran.
PN: Have you released any CD or DVD? Please explain a bit.
NP: Two DVDs that I have played the tonbak for Chakavak Ensemble have been released and I have played in a couple of DVDs and CDs that they will be released very soon. I also lead my own band, Navaye Del and we have recorded a CD and at the moment we have some problems to release it.
PN: Most notable concert you ever played?
NP: Well, I cannot distinguish one concert as the most notable one, because all my concerts have been important and they have brought for me good experiences.
PN: Have you ever faced to some problems as a female drummer?
NP: Of course that, there are some problems for female drummers, but the worst problem that really bothers me is that it is so difficult for people to believe that a lady can be a good drummer and in the same conditions a male drummer is considered by public view a better drummer than a female drummer. Anyway, I feel that the social status of lady drummers in Iran is changing and they are going to have a better situation, particularly in big cities like Tehran. For example I have seen some bands that they invite female drummers to play for them, while traditionally they are supposed to invite male drummers and this makes me happy and hopeful for a better future for female drummers.
PN: Who are your favorite Iranian drummers?
NP: While I respect to all styles and musicians, but my favorite Iranian drummer is the late maestro Amir Nasser Eftetah that has been the teacher of my main teacher, maestro Mahmoud Farahmand which I like his style as well.
PN: Are you interested in other music instruments that you wish to play them some time in your life?
NP: I wish to experience many different percussion instruments of the four corners of the globe.
PN: Any advice for new female drummers?
NP: Since the character of the tonbak is like the beating heart of the band, it is important for the drummer to understand this important role and play this role as precise as possible, no matter if one is a female or a male drummer. In my opinion, it seems that according to public view women cannot play this important role like men and my advice to new female drummers is that they should never take this public view serious and give up drumming.
PN: Anything else you like to share with the readers of your interview?
NP: Be sincere and play sincerely in this sense that put a bit of your soul in the music that you perform.
Tags: : Nazanin Pedarsani, daf, dombak, donbak, female drummer, Iran, iranian, Iranian Frame Drum, Mahmoud Farahmand, Mohammad Reza Ebrahimi, persia, persian, Persian Frame Drum, Persian Goblet Drum, tar, tombak, tonbak, Young Soloist Festival, zarb, Zeydollah Tolui
