Persian classical music reimagined through cross-cultural improvisation

Led by composer and tar virtuoso, Hamed Sadeghi

“Sadeghi's fresh, contemporary pieces subtly integrate regional Iranian folkloric elements with jazz harmonic concepts, while avoiding predictable fusion.”

Sydney Morning Herald

◆ the new album ◆

Northern Rhapsody out now.

Eishan Ensemble’s fourth album, Northern Rhapsody (2025), is the group’s most personal work to date — inspired by Hamed’s two homelands.

Sadeghi explains, “Touring regional New South Wales opened my eyes to a different kind of beauty — not loud or obvious, but quiet and generous. The soft fog on a Bellingen farm, the scent of eucalyptus at dusk… these moments found their way into the music. They reminded me that beauty isn’t always where you expect it — and sometimes, that’s where it’s most powerful.”

Yet the influence of Iran remains ever-present. “Of course, Iran is still in my blood — the rhythm of Tehran, the bazaar, the memory of the Alborz mountains. That’s home too.”

Northern Rhapsody brings these two places into dialogue — one shaped by centuries of tradition, the other by wide skies, quiet encounters, and the friendships Hamed has formed across Australia.