Description
This online seminar by guest artist Ramin Zoufonoun provides an introduction to Persian-tuned piano (PtP). Topics will include:
1. The history of the piano in Iran: the first piano was a gift from Napoleon I to Fath-Ali Shah Qajar, 1806
2. Radif music and modal system: scales/microtones, rhythmic patterns, connection to poetry
3. Tuning of the piano: offsets in cents relative to equal temperament
4. Audio samples and demonstration: Mahjubi, Moshiri Homayoun, Ramin Zoufonoun, Alexis Emelianoff
5. How can PtP expand the language of the radif?
6. Discussion, Q&A
Access
This event is free and open to the general public.
To join via Zoom, please click here at the time of the event.
We welcome you to share and/or invite those who might be interested to this event via Facebook.
Biography
Ramin Zoufonoun
Born into a family of musicians, Ramin Zoufonoun has been a music enthusiast and in the company of music makers, whom he considers mentors, throughout his life. Inspired by Morteza Mahjubi’s piano style, Ramin started retuning a few notes on his piano and, drawing from his understanding of Iranian radif music (owed primarily to his father, Mahmoud Zoufonoun) ultimately developed his own technique and style on the Persian-tuned piano. Ramin has a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and a Master of Art degree in Music and is currently a professional piano technologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He continues to explore how Persian-tuned piano can expand the language of the radif through improvisation, composition, research and documentation, and teaching.
Reference Material
Getting In Tune, 5-track album [Spotify]
Ramin Zoufonoun's SoundCloud Channel