By Lian Benasuly
Music can foster change, unite communities and educate people about rich histories, said political science student Yoshi Rashtian, introducing behind “Persian Music Night” which took place at UC Santa Barbara’s Multicultural Center last week.
“When we look at society today, people don’t really see music as a way to lead protests or unite communities,” Rashtian said. “But I’m hoping that this Persian music show can not only bring together the Persian community, but also the greater UCSB community.”
UCSB's Middle East Ensemble, led by Scott Marcus (fifth from left) performing "Ey Iran” at Persian Music Night last Thursday.
Rashtian, who is on the executive boards of the Persian Student Group and the Iranian Jewish Student Association, organized the event with UCSB’s Middle East Ensemble to bring Persian music to UCSB and fundraise for the Center for Human Rights in Iran, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights in Iran.
Currently, many Iranians are demonstrating and some have been jailed, after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died under suspicious circumstances in September after being arrested by Iran’s morality police for not wearing a hijab in accordance with government standards.
“The women in Iran are leading the first women-led counter-revolution in the world,” said UCSB Music Department lecturer Bahram Osqueezadeh, before beginning to play the first song of the night “Ey Iran” which he dedicated to the current situation in Iran.
Attendees could attend the event without donating, but many did donate, according to third-year physics major and Iranian Jewish Student Association co-president Ron Nodel, who said that they managed to raise more than $1200.
UCSB’s Middle East Ensemble is an ethnomusicology performance ensemble made up of singers, dancers, and instrumentalists. Led by UCSB Music professor Scott Marcus, the ensemble performs at various school and community functions.
Over 100 people came to the music night, clapping and snapping to the rhythms of the Ensemble’s 70-minute performance. The Ensemble featured 11 faculty members, students and community members all playing different traditional Middle Eastern instruments.
Music lecturer Osqueezadeh spoke about the history of Persian music and community member Javin John, who sang during several songs, led a moment of silence for children who have died in Iran. The evening started with more traditional music and then shifted to more light-hearted, popular music.
Two traditional Middle Eastern dancers who perform with the Ensemble came on stage for a few songs.
Two traditional Middle Eastern dancers who are part of UCSB’s Middle East Ensemble performed in the MCC at Persian Music Night.
The festive event displayed the power of unity, said Rashtian, adding that people in Iran don’t get a fair representation in American media.
“The way the media portrays Iran doesn’t completely show the real Iran — we are a people that can have fun, sing, dance, clap, which is exactly what non-Persians got to see at the event,” he said.
The Persian Student Group identifies as non-political and non-religious. It vehemently believes that human rights is not a political issue, said second-year sociology major and the group’s social chair Alya Mehrtash.
“There are certain things that limit access to our knowledge of what’s going on in Iran at times and the Center for Human Rights in Iran really aims to get that message out and to make the situation in our country more visible to the world,” Mehrtash said. “Human rights are not political at all, in our opinion.”
Music and culture can unite different communities — as the Persian Music Night proved, Rashtian said. And, it can spark meaningful and drastic changes to the status quo.
For many audience members of Iranian background, the evening of music, dancing and singing provided a sense of community.
“Since we live in Santa Barbara, it’s hard for a lot of us to always feel connected to our families and roots,” Rashtian said. “But, many people came up to me and said they felt really emotional and happy to connect to their heritage through music.”
Lian Benasuly is a fourth-year student at UC Santa Barbara, majoring in communication and pursuing a minor in professional writing. She is a web and social media intern for the Division of Humanities and Fine Arts.