Leela Emadi - vocals
Faezeh Leela Emadi, known by her artistic name Arghanun — a symbol of the collective Ney — believes in sound as a sacred passage to the soul. To her, when we dare to give voice to our inner song — letting it rise, shimmer, and move through us — it becomes a vessel that carries us home to our truest essence. In each of her performances, Arghanun draws from the timeless depths of Rumi’s poetry, weaving spaces where artist and listener co-create a living moment of presence - fleeting, luminous, and eternal. Click here to hear one of her most recent offerings, ‘Az Jamadi’.
Zahra Afsah - storyteller
Zahra Afsah explores the links between oral storytelling & Persian miniature painting, specifically the direct influences of the oral tradition in the Khamseh of Nizami of 1494-95. Zahra is dedicated to transforming the way stories are told, and has performed around the world sharing ancient wisdom through stories.
Laura Merri - poetry performer
The beauty of the mystics’ verses is that, no matter which spiritual path we are walking, these timeless words will inevitably help us all to return home, again and again, to the divine bond which unites us all. Laura has been performing mystical poetry around the world since 2016.
Anna Rüya - whirler
Anna Rüya, a captivating whirling dancer, who was born in London to an Irish mother and an Anatolian Alevi father. Her diverse cultural background seamlessly weaves into the rich tapestry of her artistry. With a life long inquiry into dance, she found herself drawn to the mesmerising and spiritual practice of spinning. She delved into the intricacies of whirling through the exploration of her ancestry roots. Her lifework is not just showcases of skill and technique but profound explorations of the whirling dance's spiritual essence. Prepare to be transported into a realm where dance becomes a language that speaks to the spirit, a meditation that resonates with the soul, and a healing force that transcends the boundaries of time and culture.
Niloufar Shahbazi - kamānche
Niloufar Shahbazi is a London-based composer and Kamānche player from Tehran, Iran. She began her musical journey at the Tehran School of Music and later completed a fully-funded Masters in Composition at the University of Tehran, receiving the Van Beek and Holland Scholarships and international recognition, including the Petrichor International Music Competition (2022). She composes actively, working closely with performers and ensembles to bring her ideas to life, exploring sound as a living, breathing presence. As a Kamānche player, she has performed across Iran and Europe, premiering new works and collaborating closely with composers and ensembles. Since 2020, she has been an active member of Yarava Music Group, contributing to the creative and practical processes behind concerts, festivals, and performance projects.
