{"id":124671,"date":"2026-05-29T12:15:53","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T16:15:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=124671"},"modified":"2026-05-29T14:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T18:00:02","slug":"interview-canadian-golha-orchestra-presents-hamnava-musical-evening-togetherness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2026\/05\/29\/interview-canadian-golha-orchestra-presents-hamnava-musical-evening-togetherness\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | The Canadian Golha Orchestra Presents Hamnav\u0101: A Musical Evening of Togetherness"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_124672\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-124672\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-124672\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-7.jpg\" alt=\"Artistic Director Kousha Nakhaei and The Canadian Golha Orchestra (Photo courtesy of CGO)\" width=\"1200\" height=\"628\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-7.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-7-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-7-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-7-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-124672\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Artistic Director Kousha Nakhaei and The Canadian Golha Orchestra (Photo courtesy of CGO)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Canadian Golha Orchestra (CGO) presents <strong>Hamnav\u0101: A Musical Evening of Togetherness.<\/strong> Hamnav\u0101 means \u201cin tune\u201d or \u201ctogether in song\u201d, and the concert features vocalists <strong>Ava Rostamian<\/strong> and <strong>Habib Hoseini<\/strong>, and a special appearance by the <strong>DeloJaan Choir<\/strong> of Kitchener-Waterloo.<\/p>\n<p>Hamnav\u0101: A Musical Evening of Togetherness takes place on <strong>June 5, 2026<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>CGO was founded in 2022, and is based on an Iranian tradition that dates back to the mid-twentieth century.<\/p>\n<h2>The Golha Tradition<\/h2>\n<p>In the mid-1900s, Radio Tehran\u2019s Golha Program looked to expand the range of Persian music, and bring it to listeners across Iran.<\/p>\n<p>The first broadcast took place on March 21, 1956, and began with a discussion of poetry, and songs performed live on radio. The music was traditional, but played with modern orchestral instruments such as the violin and clarinet. The broadcasts were immediately popular, and the Golha Orchestra was formed.<\/p>\n<p>The musical range came to include not only classical Persian music, but modern songs and other compositions. The Golha Orchestra likewise incorporated both traditional Iranian instruments like the tar and tonbak along with orchestral strings and woodwinds.<\/p>\n<p>After the 1979 revolution, however, the Golha Orchestra&#8217;s music fell out of favour, and the radio show was discontinued.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, interest has grown in the music both in Iran and well beyond, and young musicians are now taking up the unique musical style.<\/p>\n<p>The Canadian Golha Orchestra performs a folk melody from the regions of Ramian and Katul, arranged by Rouhollah Khaleghi:<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7NQV4HK9rxk?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>Canadian Golha Orchestra<\/h3>\n<p>Canadian Golha Orchestra takes up the challenge of reviving this style of music, and introducing it to Canadian audiences. The ensemble&#8217;s goal is to present and perform both new music and rarely performed Golha works. CGO works with both Iranian and Canadian musicians trained in both Persian and Western classical music who share a passion for expanding their artistic horizons.<\/p>\n<p>Artistic Director <strong>Kousha Nakhaei<\/strong> has worked in the worlds of both Iranian traditional music and Western classical music for more than two decades. A violinist, kamanche player, educator, and arranger, Nakhaei also leads the Sarv Music Academy, a music education centre he co-founded in 2013, and routinely organizes and curates concerts, community and educational events.<\/p>\n<p>As an instrumentalist, he has performed with artists such as Dariuosh Eghbali, Sepideh Raissadat, Ali Rostamian, Naser Masoudi, and Loreena McKennitt, and toured throughout North America with Sarv Ensemble and Canadian Arabic Orchestra.<\/p>\n<p>LV spoke to The Canadian Golha Orchestra\u2019s artistic director Kousha Nakhaei about the music, and the concert.<\/p>\n<p>The Canadian Golha Orchestra and vocalist Ava Rostamian \u0644\u0627\u0644\u0647 \u062e\u0648\u0646\u06cc\u0646 &#8211; \u0631\u0648\u062d \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u062e\u0627\u0644\u0642\u06cc &#8211; \u06af\u0631\u0648\u0647 \u06af\u0644\u0647\u0627 \u0648 \u0622\u0648\u0627 \u0631\u0633\u062a\u0645\u06cc\u0627\u0646 perform L\u0101le-ye Kh\u016bnin \u0644\u0627\u0644\u0647 \u06cc \u062e\u0648\u0646\u06cc\u0646<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ZG8QGEUHVPI?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Kousha Nakhaei: The Interview<\/h2>\n<p>The Golha tradition stretches back farther than that first radio broadcast.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt kind of goes back the roots of it go back to the first decades of the 20th century,\u201d says Nakhaei, \u201cfrom the 1920s on.\u201d He points out that it was part of a larger global movement in music and culture. \u201cAll over the world in a way, cultures with [longstanding] traditions were dealing with how to define those traditions in the modern world,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is one of the directions that a number of musicians took. For a long time, from the 1950s to the end of 1970s, it was quite prominent. Vocalists and traditional musicians worked within that genre.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Interestingly, the tradition used Western orchestral instruments to perform Iranian music, which incorporates modal music, classical Persian intervals, and other elements endemic to the genre.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe essence is traditional music, but the presentation is to use the more modern language of the time,\u201d he explains. \u201cThis what we call the Golha tradition \u2014 it is really not fusion or world music. It&#8217;s as authentic as it gets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From its roots in Iran in the 20th century, musicians and composers adapted Western performance techniques and elements to Iranian norms. In some cases, it wasn\u2019t difficult.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe violin was used at that time, then and before, to play Iranian music,\u201d he points out. \u201cIt&#8217;s versatile, you can play any interval or scale.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Western-trained musicians of the Canadian Golha Orchestra take on those challenges. \u201cThere&#8217;s a tradition that we&#8217;re following. But when we reapply it to music today, of course the people we have in the orchestra, many of whom we have introduced to this music, they have to learn these new intervals, modes, and ornamentation,\u201d Kousha says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLuckily we&#8217;ve had musicians who are really into and curious about the material.\u201d CGO is in its third season of live concerts. \u201cI think we [now] have a group of people who are very familiar with the intervals and the ornamentation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nakhaei began with playing the classical violin, and subsequently learned the kamanche, the Persian spiked fiddle that is a forerunner of the modern violin. \u201cI&#8217;m familiar with both styles.\u201d As he notes, it makes it easier for him to explain the differences and adjustments that are required. \u201cThere are a lot of little adjustments that make it very exciting for us,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike string instruments, woodwinds can be a little sticky when it comes to adjusting. \u201cI&#8217;ve worked together with the musicians to see what is workable, what is not workable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Canadian Golha Orchestra and vocalist Ava Rostamian \u0644\u0627\u0644\u0647 \u062e\u0648\u0646\u06cc\u0646 &#8211; \u0631\u0648\u062d \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u062e\u0627\u0644\u0642\u06cc &#8211; \u06af\u0631\u0648\u0647 \u06af\u0644\u0647\u0627 \u0648 \u0622\u0648\u0627 \u0631\u0633\u062a\u0645\u06cc\u0627\u0646 perform Shive-ye Noushin Lab\u0101n \u0634\u06cc\u0648\u0647 \u06cc \u0646\u0648\u0634\u06cc\u0646 \u0644\u0628\u0627\u0646<\/p>\n<div class=\"jetpack-video-wrapper\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m5HrEAR1qfA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h3>The Concert<\/h3>\n<p>CGO looks to present both traditional and new Iranian music inspired by those traditions, and the June 5 concert will include a range of music. Naturally, current events are on everyone\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe general scope of this event is related to what has been going on over the last few months in Toronto, and more widely in Iran,\u201d Nakhaei says. He cites not only the current war, but the protests of early 2026, which were followed by a violent crackdown by Iranian security forces. Thousands of people have been killed over the last several months, from the protesters to, now, the execution of dissidents.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s been a very, very difficult time for our community,\u201d Kousha says. \u201cWe want to come together with the music we love.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Along with music from the classic, older Golha repertoire, there is one premiere. \u201cWe have a new piece that is collaboratively composed with the DeloJaan Choir, an Iranian choir in Kitchener,\u201d he says. \u201cThey worked with the composer Saman Shahi.\u201d Toronto-based <strong>Saman Shahi<\/strong> is a JUNO nominated composer, pianist, conductor, and Instructor, Faculty of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University.<\/p>\n<p>The choir created the melodies and lyrics to Shahi\u2019s music. The song reflects on the protests, and the massacre of so many of the protesters. It\u2019s titled Lullaby. \u201cIt&#8217;s a sweet lullaby for the fallen. A lot of the other music is related to what has been going on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The communal experience of a concert can serve to offer hope and solace. \u201cThat&#8217;s our hope,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think if people would like to come in a way to support the Iranian community, the Iranian music community in Toronto, it would mean a lot to us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As he points out, when such events take place, it\u2019s often artists and art workers who are among the most affected. Many Toronto based Iranian groups cancelled events earlier in the year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course the music is welcoming in that, while it is new an interesting, it is familiar because of the instruments.\u201d The program is presented not as an exotic experience, in other words. It\u2019s music that speaks to a wider audience. \u201cWe try to include explanation and guidance in the program notes,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it&#8217;s going to be very touching, and a special evening, and I&#8217;m excited to share it with more people.\u201d<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Find tickets for Canadian Golha Orchestra Hamnav\u0101: A Musical Evening of Togetherness on June 5, 2026 at Grace Church on-the-hill [<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/canadiangolhaorchestra.com\/2025-26-season\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HERE<\/a><\/strong>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Are you looking to promote an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/advertising\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0e101a\"><u>event<\/u><\/span><\/a>? Have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/masthead\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>news tip<\/u><\/a>? 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Send us a <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"mailto:anya@ludwig-van.com?subject=Let's%20chat\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong><em><u>note<\/u>.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em><b>#LUDWIGVAN<\/b><\/em><\/h3>\n<p class=\"western\"><em>Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"western\"><em>Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! \u2014 local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid=S3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/583e6ce0-dfd0-48be-8a33-61256b3c58e3.mlbtlr.com\/p2\/Fbd8jWoWQQ6CdBcLIvut3Q\/02E3cYaETqaj4Xm087cpSg?contactid%3DS3HHYfHY5rZv5f94S15MnA&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1695737525351000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0QTqKRwRJQFGK3KoJYigxX\">HERE<\/a>.<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Canadian Golha Orchestra (CGO) presents Hamnav\u0101: A Musical Evening of Togetherness with vocalists Ava Rostamian and Habib Hoseini, and the DeloJaan Choir of Kitchener.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":124672,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[42533,76,18,19,875,29,4557,63,72],"tags":[42964,42963,42965,37818],"yst_prominent_words":[6616],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Copy-of-INTERVIEW-7.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9bakr-wqP","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124671"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124671"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124671\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124679,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124671\/revisions\/124679"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124672"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124671"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124671"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124671"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=124671"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}