Ethno-Electronic NIYAZ Brings Their “Mesmerizing” Immersive “The Fourth Light” To UCLA On 8/19
“On The Fourth Light, [NIYAZ] continues to mine medieval Sufi mystical poetry as well as instruments and songs from across the Middle East. With electronic beats, they create a swirling, whirling palette of colors fronted by Ali’s rich and precise voice.” – NPR
“The Fourth Light Project is a mesmerizing, immersive multimedia production combining the ensemble’s rich and riveting electroacoustic music with a spectacular display of cutting-edge, interactive visual effects…” – Classical Voice
“… an evolutionary force in contemporary Middle Eastern music.” – Huffington Post
NIYAZ
Brings Their Immersive Multimedia Event
THE FOURTH LIGHT
To UCLA’s Royce Hall on August 19th
Presented By Farhang Foundation
And UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music
JUNE 8, 2023 (Los Angeles, CA) — “We have performed The Fourth Light over sixty times around the world, but Los Angeles being our hometown and the center of the movie industry means so much to me personally,” says Iranian multi-instrumentalist, composer, and JUNO Award-nominee Loga Ramin Torkian of ethno-electronic Iranian-American musical group NIYAZ. The critically-hailed and highly-anticipated stage performance of THE FOURTH LIGHT: An Immersive Multimedia Experience finally makes its Los Angeles debut at UCLA’s Royce Hall on August 19, 2023.
Combining captivating music, stunning visuals, dance, and innovative technologies to create an immersive and unforgettable journey for audiences, this groundbreaking multimedia experience uses interactive technologies and advanced projection body-mapping techniques that respond to sound and movement in real time. The result creates a new kind of digital scenography and live musical experience, in which virtual and real space merge to create an illusionistic three-dimensional environment that eliminates the distance between the audience and performers. This seamless synthesis of sound, space, image, and light invites the audience inside the art to share in a unique narrative and multi-sensory experience.
Based on Niyaz’s latest album The Fourth Light, the music that will be performed features Iranian vocalist, composer, and two-time JUNO Award nominee Azam Ali and is inspired by the first female Sufi mystic and poet Rabia Al Basri. Born in the 8th century in Iraq, Basri is recognized as a saint who set forth the doctrine of Divine Love and non-duality which today lie at the heart of Sufi mysticism. Niyaz has been committed to creating music with a deep social message.
“During this tumultuous time in our homeland Iran, when women are rising so bravely in their quest for freedom, I cannot help but reflect on how this struggle has its roots as far back as the 8th century with Rabia Al Basri,” said Azam Ali. “For us, this show has always been about celebrating the power of women. Presenting it in Los Angeles in collaboration with Farhang Foundation and the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music is such a tremendous honor.”
“We are delighted to help bring this groundbreaking performance to UCLA and Royce Hall,” said Alireza Ardekani, Executive Director of Farhang Foundation. The Fourth Light is a testament to the power of art in transcending boundaries and connecting people from different backgrounds.
Farhang Foundation is thrilled to have this opportunity to once again collaborate with the incredible creative team of Azam Ali and Loga Ramin Torkian on this project, along with our excellent partners at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. This performance represents Farhang’s ongoing commitment to showcasing the richness and diversity of Iranian art forms and fostering cross-cultural understanding. We invite everyone to join us for this extraordinary event and experience the magic of Niyaz’s music and the visual spectacle of the project.”
“UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music and the Iranian Music Program are proud to partner with Farhang Foundation in presenting Niyaz in this innovative project,” said Dr. Shahab Paranj, Post-Doctoral Scholar of the Iranian Music Program at UCLA. “Niyaz’s use of Iranian music and Persian poetry combined with captivating interactive multimedia elements ensures to deliver a truly unique experience in The Fourth Light project.”
“Often we rely on debates and compromises to create unity, but in my opinion, In a secular society, art is the guiding light and creating unity,” adds Torkian. “Our goal is to create unifying experience for the audience that is uplifting and by uplifting the audience’s soul.”
The performance of The Fourth Light by Niyaz will take place on Saturday, August 19, 2023, for one night only at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Tickets are now available for purchase in person through the UCLA Ticket Office or online via Farhang Foundation’s official website.
For tickets and more information, please visit Farhang.org/Niyaz.
Niyaz is an internationally renowned musical group founded by Iranian-born, Indian-raised vocalist, composer Azam Ali and Iranian multi-instrumentalist and composer Loga Ramin Torkian. Their music blends traditional Persian and Middle Eastern sounds with contemporary electronic elements, creating a unique fusion that transcends borders and cultures.
Today with four best-selling and critically acclaimed albums released on Six Degrees Records, all of which have debuted at #1 on iTunes and garnered the band an incredible amount of media attention, including features on NPR, PRI, BBC World, Billboard, Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post, Niyaz continues to tour internationally and build on its impressive and loyal fan base worldwide.
Their performances have captivated audiences worldwide, and their groundbreaking multimedia production, The Fourth Light, has received critical acclaim for its innovation and artistic vision. For more information on Niyaz: https://www.niyazmusic.com.
About Farhang Foundation
Farhang Foundation is a member-supported nonreligious, nonpolitical, and nonprofit foundation established in 2008 to celebrate and promote Iranian art and culture for the benefit of the community at large. The foundation supports a broad range of academic and cultural activities by funding university programs, diverse cultural programs such as the celebrations of Nowruz and Shab-e Yalda and musical performances, film screenings, and festivals. For more information on Farhang Foundation: https://farhang.org.
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