MEDIA RELEASE: Van Diemen's Band and Ensemble Kaboul present Where Everything is Music

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8 August 2025

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Van Diemen's Band and Ensemble Kaboul present Where Everything is Music

Acclaimed baroque ensemble and legendary masters of Persian-Afghan music reunite for a stunning cross-cultural concert tour this September and October.

Van Diemen’s Band and the legendary Ensemble Kaboul reunite for the national return of Where Everything is Music — a powerful cross-cultural collaboration that preserves a centuries-old musical tradition now banned in Afghanistan. 

Touring across Australia in September and October, the project was created for MONA FOMA 2023 and performed to sold-out audiences. Its title, inspired by the Persian mystic and poet Rumi, reflects the work’s artistic and spiritual scope, celebrating the profound connections between Persian-Afghan traditional music and Western classical music forms. Featuring master musicians from Afghanistan alongside Tasmania’s leading Baroque ensemble, this program is both a musical dialogue and an act of cultural resistance.

The collaboration features rubab virtuoso Khaled Arman, tabla player and vocalist Siar Hashimi, and zerbaghali percussionist Masud Hashimi, blending the intricate melodic patterns and rhythmic drive of traditional Afghan and Persian music with the warm, resonant tones of gut-string period instruments. This innovative dialogue transcends cultural boundaries; soaring vocals, shimmering rubab textures and dynamic rhythms merge with western and traditional instruments in mesmerising original arrangements of Traditional Persian music, ethereal late-19th-century piano works music by Erik Satie, mystical compositions of Hildegard of Bingen and original music by Luke Plumb, creating a sound world that is both ancient and urgently contemporary

“This collaboration represents something deeply important — music’s power to transcend borders and preserve cultural heritage in times of crisis. Working with Khaled, Siar and Masud has been transformative, not just musically but in understanding our responsibility as artists to amplify voices that might otherwise be silenced.”

— Julia Fredersdorff, Artistic Director, Van Diemen’s Band

The national tour runs from 25 September to 5 October, with performances in Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney, and Brisbane at venues including Melbourne Recital Centre, UKARIA, Theatre Royal (nipaluna/Hobart), Leichhardt Town Hall, and Brisbane Powerhouse.

Following widespread critical acclaim and multiple requests for a recording, Where Everything is Music will also be released on the newly established VDB label — expanding the project’s reach and preserving this remarkable repertoire for future audiences.

Tour Highlights

The program features traditional Persian compositions, reimagined and arranged for this ensemble, alongside Western classical works selected for their fluid, contemplative style. Highlights include new arrangements by Khaled Arman of songs by the legendary Fazel Ahmad Zekrya (known as Nainawaz), who was assassinated by Soviet forces in 1979, and inventive interpretations of works by Bach, Satie, and Hildegard of Bingen.

National Tour Dates

• Melbourne Recital Centre – Thursday 25 September, 7:30pm

• UKARIA Cultural Centre – Sunday 28 September, 2:30pm (SOLD OUT)

• Theatre Royal, Hobart – Friday 3 October, 7:00pm

• Leichhardt Town Hall, Sydney – Saturday 4 October, 6:00pm

• Brisbane Powerhouse – Sunday 5 October, 6:30pm

Booking Information

• Tickets range from $35–$65 plus booking fees and are available via venue box offices.

• Visit the tour landing page to access links to individual performance bookings:

www.vandiemensband.com.au/whats-on/2025-concerts/where-everything-is-music

About the Artists

Ensemble Kaboul

Ensemble Kaboul explores the Persian music of Afghanistan, working like musical archaeologists to rediscover buried themes and lost motifs from a once-flourishing artistic tradition. Drawing on the rich heritage of the Persian musical family, the ensemble brings together musicians such as Khaled Arman (rubab), Siar Hashimi (tabla, percussion, vocals), and Masud Hashimi (zerbaghali), whose artistry revives a shared musical memory and offers audiences a rare window into a deeply layered sound world.

Khaled Arman, a virtuoso master of the Afghan rubab and one of Afghanistan's most celebrated musicians, has revolutionized cross-cultural musical dialogue by masterfully introducing the instrument to Persian, Indian, and European traditions. His distinguished collaborations with world-renowned artists including Jordi Savall and Quatuor Barbaroque showcase his exceptional artistry and international acclaim.

Siar Hashimi, a master tabla virtuoso who began his musical journey in Kabul at age four, has refined his extraordinary skills through intensive training in India and Germany under legendary masters including Zakir Hussain. His comprehensive mastery extends across traditional Afghan percussion including zerbaghali, dolak, and daf, establishing him as one of the foremost percussionists of his generation.

Masud Hashimi is recognised as one of the most creative percussionists in the Afghan music industry. Beginning his training at age three, he has studied with renowned Afghan and European instructors and performed at international festivals around the world. Masud is a celebrated figure across the Afghan diaspora in Europe and the US, known for his captivating stage presence and rhythmic flair.

Van Diemen’s Band

Described as “Australia’s Baroque supergroup”, Van Diemen’s Band is based in the wild and unspoiled island state of lutruwita/Tasmania. Founded in 2016 by violinist Julia Fredersdorff, the ensemble explores the creativity and expressiveness of the baroque while deferring to historical sources on style and instrumentation. It brings together some of the country’s finest early music specialists, with experience performing in renowned international groups including Les Arts Florissants, Il Pomo d’Oro, Ensemble Pygmalion, The English Concert, and the Academy of Ancient Music.

With a bold, historically informed approach, VDB brings fresh energy to music of the 17th and 18th centuries—whether performing as an intimate chamber group or a full Baroque orchestra. Recent collaborations include projects with French conductor Martin Gester, Ensemble Kaboul, and Tasmanian mandolinist Luke Plumb, as well as the evocative music video Song of the Birds.

The ensemble has performed at Ten Days on the Island, Mona Foma, and Dark Mofo, toured nationally with Musica Viva Australia and internationally with Chamber Music New Zealand, and recorded for ABC Classic and Swedish label BIS. Van Diemen’s Band also presents a popular Lunchbox Concert Series across Tasmania and leads education and community programs that connect deeply with local audiences.

vandiemensband.com.au

Press materials

• Access the media kit with tour information, artist biographies, and high-resolution images

• Watch highlights from Where Everything is Music on YouTube: View playlist

Interview requests and further media enquiries are welcome.
Media tickets are available for all performances.

Media Contact: Samuel Cairnduff
RESONATE Communications
samuel.j.cairnduff@gmail.com | 0401 396 755

ENDS

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