Kousha Nakhaei is a violinist, improviser, and composer. He has studied improvisation, and classical performance, as well as Persian and South Indian musical traditions at York University where he graduated in 2005. Also a Contact dancer Kousha has a strong interest in movement and exploring interdisciplinary creation. He has collaborated with several choreographers, dancers, poets and directors, such as Lucie Carmen Gregoire, Patty Powel, Tracey Norman, Roger Greenwald, and Jean-Michael Malpeux. He has performed at numerous venues in Toronto and many festivals including fFIDA International dance Festival, Toronto Street Festival, and Under The Azure Dome.Currently he keeps busy studying, performing and teaching.
Araz Nayeb Pashayee, born in 1981 in Tehran-Iran, is a Tonbak(the goblet drum) player and teacher. His performing pieces are based on his practice over methods of master A.N.Eftetah, master B.Rajabi and N.Afghah under instruction of K.Montazeri in Iran. On his improvisations, he creatively combines various old and modern technics to access a unique style. Living in Canada for the past 7 years, he has been collaborating with several ensembles and artists such as "Mehrvarzan", "Chakavak", "Pejvak", "Iran Choir", "Sashar Zarif" and "Pirouz Yousefian", in many popular and charity events in Canada, U.S and Europe. He has been teaching Tonbak in Shawrak Music Centre for the past year and half.
Araz and Kousha (teachers at Shawrak Music Centre) will perform an improvised duet. This takes the form of a collaborative composition created in spur of the moment. This kind of improvisation is dependant on the sesitvity of the musicians to each other and the process of creation, to the audience, and all that the moment brings.