Galeet Dardashti and Divahn, New York’s All-Female Powerhouse Ensemble, to perform free concert at Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts | Press Releases

Event is part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days series, and will feature vocalist, guitarist and percussionist Galeet Dardashti, inheritor of a Persian musical legacy from her grandfather, famed classical singer Yona Dardashti, and her father, cantor Farid Dardashti.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (October 12, 2015) — Renowned singer Galeet Dardashti will lead the edgy all-female powerhouse Mizrahi (Middle Eastern Jewish) ensemble, Divahn, at a free concert at Fairfield University’s Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on Tuesday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m. It will be an evening of Middle Eastern and Sephardic music, featuring traditional and original songs with smooth harmonies, entrancing improvisations, and funky arrangements.

Open to the public, the event is part of the Daniel Pearl World Music Days Concert series that honors the life and legacy of the slain journalist. Pearl’s parents created this musical series to reflect Daniel’s own belief (as a skilled violinist) that music can bring people together.

Fairfield University’s Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Judaic Studies is sponsoring the concert. No tickets are required, but reservations are requested. Call (203) 254-4000, ext. 2066 or email bennettcenter@fairfield.edu

Divhan has gained an international following with its thrilling live shows that feature a fresh and fiery take on Jewish music: eclectic Indian, Middle Eastern, and Latin percussion, lush string arrangements and vocals spanning Hebrew, Judeo-Spanish, Persian, Arabic, and Aramaic.

To listen to the band’s music, visit http://www.galeetdardashti.com/divahn.php Galeet Dardashti (vocalist, composer, guitarist and percussionist) is the first woman in her family to continue her family tradition of distinguished Persian and Jewish musicianship. She is the granddaughter of Yona Dardashti, the most renowned singer of Persian classical music in Iran in his day, and daughter of highly esteemed cantor Farid Dardashti

The Jerusalem Report observed: Dardashti’s “sultry delivery spans international styles and clings to listeners long after the last round of applause.” The Forward noted: "Dardashti’s voice is exemplary, floating into earthy and nasal tones seamlessly, as called for by her Near Eastern style of music. Her stage presence is commanding, as well: She is in charge of her material."

The band’s members include Rebecca Cherry (violin, vocals); Eleanor Norton (cello, vocals); Sejal Kukadia (tabla, vocals); Elizabeth Pupo-Walker (percussion, vocals); and Lila Sklar (violin, vocals). As one of the few groups performing Mizrahi and Judeo-Arab music in the United States, Divahn welcomes its audiences to a beautiful sphere of shared Jewish and Muslim culture.

Dardashti also pursues her passion for Jewish music and culture as an anthropologist. She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology, specializing in cultural politics and contemporary Middle Eastern/Arab music in Israel. To learn more about the Bennett Center for Judaic Studies, and for directions to the Quick Center for the Arts, visit www.fairfield.edu .

The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Fairfield University at 1073 North Benson Road in Fairfield, Connecticut. Entrance to the Quick Center is through the Barlow Road gate at 200 Barlow Road. Fairfield University is located off exit 22 of Interstate-95. For further information about other events and directions, call (203) 254-4010 or 1-877-278-7396, or visit www.quickcenter.com .