A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
Afshin Ardalan
Artist
United Kingdom
 
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ABOUT
Afshin Ardalan is a professional classical guitarist and composer whose music has deep roots in his Persian background.

Afshin has studied guitar with world-class guitarists such as Hubert Käppel, Lily Afshar, Aniello Desiderio, Marcin Dylla, Dale Kavanagh, Timo Korhonen, Antigoni Goni, and Carlo Marchione.

Afshin began music by learning the setar, a Persian traditional string instrument, back in the '90s in Iran. A few years later, he made his own guitar as a young luthier and found himself deeply interested in classical guitar.

He studied under K. Pourmoghaddam in Tehran initially. Soon he made his recitals in Shiraz and Tehran in 1999. Within these years, he also used to attend Lily Afshar’s master classes held in Iran occasionally.

Afshin left for Finland in 2009 to study guitar performance at the Lahti Polytechnic under Juha Johansson and followed by postgraduate studies with Hubert Käppel at Koblenz International Guitar Academy, Germany.

Afshin also studied music pedagogy at Metropolia Polytechnic with Petri Kumela, where he did his diploma in classical guitar performance.

Afshin’s performance has a rare approach to classical Western music; it is flavored with hints of his Middle Eastern heritage, reminding the audience of the origins of the guitar. Afshin is a renowned instrumentalist of his generation in Persia, among whom are recognized as a bridge to mend broken ties between Persian and Western music.

Afshin is trying to infuse Persian music with Western on guitar by deploying new techniques very carefully and delicately, which results in a surprising and attractive music to both classical and Persian music lovers.

His repertoire consists of his own compositions and music from other parts of the world.
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