MEDIA RELEASE: Ensemble Kaboul and Van Diemen’s Band: Khaled Arman, Siar Hashimi, Masud Hashimi — Where Everything is Music, Brisbane Powerhouse, 5 October

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

22 September, 2025

---

Ensemble Kaboul and Van Diemen’s Band: Khaled Arman, Siar Hashimi, Masud Hashimi — Where Everything is Music, Brisbane Powerhouse, 5 October

Van Diemen’s Band and Ensemble Kaboul present a powerful cross-cultural concert at Brisbane Powerhouse

Queensland audiences will have a rare opportunity to experience one of Australia’s most acclaimed cross-cultural collaborations when Van Diemen’s Band and Ensemble Kaboul bring Where Everything is Music to the Brisbane Powerhouse on Sunday 5 October, 6:30pm.

Created for MONA FOMA 2023 and performed to sold-out audiences across the country, this project reunites Tasmania’s leading baroque ensemble with legendary masters of Persian-Afghan music for a program that is both an artistic dialogue and an act of cultural resistance. Drawing its title from the Persian mystic and poet Rumi, the concert explores profound connections between Persian-Afghan traditions and Western classical music forms.

The Brisbane performance will feature virtuoso Afghan musicians Khaled Arman (rubab), Siar Hashimi (tabla, vocals) and Masud Hashimi (zerbaghali), alongside Van Diemen’s Band directed by violinist Julia Fredersdorff. Together they weave shimmering rubab textures, soaring vocals, and intricate rhythmic patterns into an evocative sound world where East meets West. The program includes re-imagined works by Bach, Satie and Hildegard of Bingen, alongside original compositions and rare songs by Fazel Ahmad Zekrya (Nainawaz), a much-loved Afghan songwriter assassinated in 1979.

“This collaboration represents something deeply important — music’s power to transcend borders and preserve cultural heritage in times of crisis,” says Julia Fredersdorff, Artistic Director of Van Diemen’s Band. “Brisbane audiences will be part of a performance that is as spiritually moving as it is musically innovative.”

Following widespread critical acclaim, Where Everything is Music will also be released on the newly established VDB label, preserving this remarkable repertoire for the future.

Queensland Performance
Brisbane Powerhouse — Sunday 5 October, 6:30pm

Tickets: 

$35–$65 plus booking fees. 

Book via Brisbane Powerhouse Box Office https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=VANDMEN25

Or through Van Diemen’s Band: 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