Folklore percussionist
Hazhar Zahawy

Folklore percussionist
Hazhar Zahawy

Hajar Zahawy is one of the most celebrated Kurdish folk percussionists of our time. Born in Iran to a Kurdish in 1980, he was introduced to music and taught to play the Daf (Kurdish frame drum) at the age of 5. When he was 10 years old he moved to Great Britain, and at the age of 13 he performed for the first time with the National Radio and Television Orchestra for Kurdish Music. Hajar has performed around the world and collaborated with Persian, Greek, Indian, Arab, and Turkish musicians. He has participated in many international music festivals including WOMAD (World of Music, Arts, and Dance) in the UK, WOMEX (World Music Expo) in the Netherlands, and the World Sacred Music Festival in Morocco. He created a track for the 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven, and has appeared in many programs and documentaries about Kurdish music. He also released a solo album of percussion compositions in 2007. Aside from the heavy Kurdish rhythm that characterizes his music, Hajar Zahawy also draws influence from many other countries and uses music as a medium to connect with people and preserve his ethnic and cultural heritage.