ABOUT SAEED KAMJOO
Saeed Kamjoo is a composer and player of kamanche (bowed spike-fiddle) whose creativity finely combines authenticity and innovation. Even though his music has its roots in the tradition, he also allows himself to explore the new.
His innovative approach towards the playing of kamanche is based on his perception of values inherent to Persian art music. He searches new idioms while performing and developing his music, by using the ornamentation of Persian classical music to discover new possibilities.
Saeed Kamjoo has been rigorously trained in the instrumental and vocal techniques and repertoires of Persian classical music (radif) by such renowned masters as A. Kamkar, A. Shekarchi and Ustad A. Bahari. He graduated in music from University of Tehran, and has been studying Persian musical manuscripts and ancient rhythmic modes for several years.
He has made several appearances in music festivals in North America and Europe such as Sound Symposium (Canada), Sacra Musica Festival (Germany), Rotterdam World Music Festival (Nederlands) and Les Orientales (France). He has given lectures and workshops throughout North America and Europe and has participated in many recordings.
He immigrated to Montreal, Canada in 1997 and since then has collaborated with various creative ensembles in Canada, USA, Germany and UK. Saeed Kamjoo received grants from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
