In partnership with National Sawdust, Sparks & Wiry Cries
was thrilled to present

Only Voice Remains

A recital co-curated by Niloufar Nourbakhsh
and Sparks & Wiry Cries
January 20th, 2024 @ National Sawdust

“Only Voice Remains” was a sparksLIVE project co-curated by Sparks & Wiry Cries and composer Niloufar Nourbakhsh, presented at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, NY on January 20, 2024.

Nourbakhsh’s program (inspired by Forugh Farrokhzad’s poem of the same name) explored themes of exile, loss, and migration, using a diverse range of vocal traditions rooted in Iran and neighboring regions. The music programmed explores the intersection of Persian Flamenco, contemporary singer-songwriters, and Iranian classical music, all intertwined with the Western classical recital format. Also highlighted on the program was the landay — a poetic folk couplet shared by Pashtun women that exists primarily through oral tradition. In a setting by Juhi Bansal for soprano, piano, and cello, these poems in English translation highlight similar motifs of struggle and triumph, echoing down generations from woman to woman.

Performers on this program included:
Mahya Hamedi (vocalist), Ava Nazar (pianist), Farnaz Ohadi (vocalist), Karen Ouzounian (cellist, courtesy of Silk Road Ensemble), Gaspar Rodriguez (guitarist), and Abigail Sinclair (soprano).