Our Community Series

Episode 2: Faraz Minooei

Taking a moment to appreciate our beautiful community team

Faraz has been a friend, teacher, mentor & a life coach to me and many. He is not only an artist but a great thinker. One who sees values & characters above success. His approach and dedication to his art and life has been an ocean of inspiration. I started taking Santur classes with him more than a decade ago. But a Santur class quickly turned into a deep friendship. A bond that goes beyond any.

I have always been fascinated with how humble he is. For someone who has SO MUCH knowledge about music and life, he never portraits himself above anyone. If he ever got angry at anyone, next to that I would hear a tone of care and deep love. He approaches his students with care, patience and compassion. He pushes when he must and stays quiet when is right.

A true artist, friend, mentor & teacher.

He is one of the few folks in the Iranian community who so deeply cares about its culture and art. He has dedicated his life in progressing the Iranian art and is truly a master at the Santur and Iranian classical music.

What I love about Faraz the most, is his gentle approach to be an example. To walk the path & not preach. What I have learned the most from him is to be a man of not success, but a man of values.

Bay Area Persian Music Ensemble

This is a new band shaped in Bay Area dedicated to practicing and spreading the sound the Persian Music. Its members are from the Bay Area and welcome anyone who is interested in practicing & participating. In the band currently are players of Daf, Tombak, Tar, Kamancheh, Nay & Santur. What I admire about this collaboration is the effort that's being done in order to showcase Iranian music outside of Iran and the dedication of its members to their practice and the hard work that it takes to keep such an ensemble together.

Their first performance was on June 26th 2022 at the Community School of Music & Art.

Bay Area Concert

This was the concert that Faraz's students from the Santur Academy performed along with the new Bay Area Persian Music Ensemble that he has helped shape. I had the pleasure to perform with my Native American Flute.