Forgotten Songs
آواهای فراموش شده
Where Forgotten melodies find there voice again
Saturday - September 05, 2026
Show Starts at 8:00 pm
Richmond Hill Centre of the Performing Arts
Acclaimed vocalist and setar player Mojgan Shajarian, composer and kamancheh virtuoso Mehdi Bagheri, and percussionist Farhad Fathieh come together in Forgotten Songs, a performance rooted in Persian classical and folk traditions.
Drawing from the radif and folk melodies of Iran, the ensemble brings to life songs that have been passed down through generations yet are rarely heard today. Through the tradition of Saz o Avaz, a spontaneous dialogue between voice and instrument, each performance is shaped by improvisation, creating a unique and intimate experience that connects memory, tradition, and live musical expression.
Blending masterful musicianship with the rich heritage of Persian music, Forgotten Songs offers audiences an evening of reflection, storytelling, and artistic excellence.
Meet The Team
Mojgan Shajarian - Vocalist
Mojgan Shajarian, a prominent Iranian-American artist, is a well-known figure in the realms of Persian classical music and the visual arts. She was born in 1969 in Tehran into a family deeply immersed in art and music. Musical Training and Academic Education She began her musical training at the age of 11 and has had the honor of studying under top-tier masters of Iranian music. She studied Persian classical singing under the guidance of Maestro Mohammad-Reza Shajarian and learned to play the Setar with Maestros Mohammad-Reza Lotfi, Hossein Alizadeh, Parviz Meshkatian, Mehrbanoo Tofigh, and Massoud Shoari. Mojgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music, a Bachelor of Arts in Painting, and a Master of Arts in Graphic Design. The Bond Between Music and Visual Arts In addition to music, Mojgan has been highly active in various visual arts disciplines, including painting, graphic design, ceramics, sculpture, and set design. Her deep passion and expertise in both fields led her to integrate music with the visual arts. Relying on extensive research in this area, she is recognized today as one of the most prolific and prominent designers of music album covers. International Activities and Stage Performances Mojgan stepped into professional performing during her teenage years and has since participated in over 200 concerts at the most prestigious venues worldwide as a vocalist and instrumentalist. Among her most notable international stage appearances are her performances at the Nobel Prize ceremony (2023) and the Aga Khan Festival in Portugal (2019). Due to the restrictions on women›s artistic activities in Iran, she immigrated to the United States in 2012. Since then, alongside her ongoing global concerts, she has dedicated herself to teaching vocal techniques and Setar playing to international students. Collaborations and Group Performances Throughout her fruitful artistic journey, she has collaborated with renowned ensembles and artists, including: • Noordpool Orchestera • Pacific Symphony • Sima Bina Ensemble • Shahnaz Ensemble (directed by Majid Derakhshani) • Aftab Ensemble (directed by Saeed Farajpoori) • Shahrzad Quartet (directed by Tahmoures Pournazeri) • Noaeen Ensemble (directed by Sourena Sefati) • Sarvad Ensemble • Azad Mirzapour Ensemble • Joint group performances with Daryoush Talee, Hamid Motebasem, Hossein Behroozimia, Mehdi Bagheri, Pejman Hadadi, Dr. Hamed Afshari, Amir Nojan, Azad Mirzapour. Published Works (Discography) • Arghavan Album • Bagh-e Bi-Bargi Album • Numerous single tracks (including the piece Beman Ta Payan and others).
Mehdi Bagheri - Composer & Kamancheh Virtuoso
Mehdi Bagheri is internationally recognized as one of the most renowned practitioners of the Iranian Kamancheh of his generation. A native of Kermanshah in western Iran, he is also an accomplished composer and multi-instrumentalist, known for blending Persian classical music with contemporary, cinematic, and cross-cultural styles. Mehdi began his musical journey by learning Setar and Tombak under the guidance of Ramin Tafazoli before dedicating himself fully to Kamancheh. He trained under legendary masters, including Kayhan Kalhor and Ardeshir Kamkar, and has developed a unique style that merges deep knowledge of traditional Persian music with modern sensibilities. He has performed at prestigious venues and festivals around the world, such as Théâtre de la Ville (Paris), Royal Festival Hall (London), Getty Center (Los Angeles), Hollywood Bowl (LA Phil 100), Oslo World Music Festival, Morgenland Festival (Germany), Asia Society (Houston), the Smithsonian Institution (Washington, D.C.), and RBB Hall with the Berlin Radio Choir, etc. Among Mehdi’s most significant contributions is the complete recording and publication of the Radif of Maestro Ali-Akbar Shahnazi, an essential repertoire of Persian classical music traditionally passed down orally. His discography includes solo, ensemble, and orchestral works, including In the Face of Gravity (2025), Caravanserai (2024), In the Nearest Faraway (2024), On the Quest for Dawn (2025), M&M The Afro-Persian Experience (2020), etc. He has contributed to a wide range of film scores and soundtracks, bringing Persian instrumentation to global video game and cinema audiences. His work includes the acclaimed video game Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the animated series Hammer and Bolter, and many more international projects. Now based in Southern California, Mehdi
Farhad Fathieh - Percussionist
Farhad Fathieh is a percussionist and kamancheh player who began his study of Persian classical music at an early age under the guidance of his father. His deep fascination with rhythm and percussion led him to pursue the Tonbak under the instruction of Master Kambiz Ganjeei. Driven by a desire to deepen his understanding of Persian classical music, he continued his musical education by studying the Radif and melodic repertoire of Iranian music through the Santur and Kamancheh with distinguished masters of the tradition. Throughout his artistic career, Farhad Fathieh has performed with various ensembles at numerous international festivals and cultural events, sharing the rich heritage and expressive beauty of Persian music with audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds around the world.