The ensemble takes its name from the Persianate word parda, meaning curtain or veil, and a term used in Persian and Urdu musical traditions to describe a pitch position. The project draws inspiration from Farid al-Din Attar’s 12th-century poem The Conference of the Birds, imagining a contemporary musical response to its themes of seeking, dissolving the veil of separateness, and wonderment. The Washington, DC-based collective developed its musical relationships through the Silkroad Ensemble’s global music program, drawing on its ethos of deep listening and experimental trust across traditions. Artists have included Roxana Sarrafi, Maximilian Jacobs, Hasan Imam Hamdani, Alişya Anlaş, and Asadali Pyarali Bandeali. Together, they bring musical languages ranging from Persian classical to bluegrass.
Watch selected clips from The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage below:
Full hour-long performance: