Kayhan Kalhor

Grammy Award winner Kayhan Kalhor is a world-renowned virtuoso of the kamancheh, the ancient Persian predecessor to the violin, as well as other instruments. He sits down with David to talk about the origins of the instrument, falling in love with it at age 10, and joining the Iranian National Radio and Television Orchestra at 13-years-old performing alongside musicians 4-times his age. Kayhan recalls how music took him to Europe—2,500 miles by foot with the kamancheh on his back—escaping the turmoil of the Iranian Revolution and ultimately landing at the New York Philharmonic with Yo-Yo Ma, and later Silkroad. To close it out, Kayhan reflects on how music is his anchor, refuge, and response to strife. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Kayhan Kalhor on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. To learn more about Silkroad visit them on the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.