Artists

Four-time Grammy Award-winner Eugene Friesen is active internationally as a cellist, composer, conductor and teacher. His unique original repertoire and improvisational style has been featured in concerts internationally with the Paul Winter Consort, and with Trio Globo (Howard Levy, Glen Velez and Friesen).

Recently returned from a one-year tour with Paul Simon, Eugene’s improvised music has been featured in concerts all over the world. eugenefriesenmusic.com

Four Time Grammy Award Winner, Glen Velez is the founding Father of the modern frame drum movement and is regarded as a legendary figure among musicians and audiences world-wide. His collaborations include Steve Reich, the Paul Winter Consort, Suzanne Vega, Maya Beiser, Tan Dun, Pat Metheny, Eddie Daniels, Richard Stoltzman, Zakir Hussain, David Darling, Howard Levy, Eugene Friesen and Coleman Barks. His signature sounds can be heard on numerous films, commercials and modern dance scores. glenvelez.com

Parisa Soultani is an Iranian-American filmmaker and presenter who has worked on numerous documentary films and TV/web programs. The general area of her academic interest inhumanities, philosophy, and literature with a focus on Rumi and Islamic humanism. Parisa is known for her film productions of “One Through Love: A Gathering of Lovers, Rumi and the Sufi Path of Love” and Earth Wisdom for a World Crisis. cemproductions.org/meet-team, independent.academia.eduParisaSoultani

Benjy Wertheimer is an award-winning musician, composer, vocalist, producer and multi-instrumentalist ,equally accomplished on tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar and keyboards. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Krishna Das, Deva Premal and Miten, Jai Uttal, Walter Becker of Steely Dan, virtuoso guitarist Michael Mandrell, tabla master Zakir Hussain, and renowned bamboo flute master G. S.Sachdev. shantalamusic.com

Zuleikha, international performer and educator, was trained in movement, music and mysticism by master teachers of eastern and western lineages. Through her work, she has become an ambassador of unity in artistic and spiritual expression.

In performance, Zuleikha has been described as “a singular figure on the horizon of sacred theater and dance” (Edinburgh Guide).

A whirlwind of spirit, rhythm, dance and story, Zuleikha uplifts theater audiences with her very funny, soul-stirring solo performances. Zuleikha has collaborated with numerous world musicians and poets, including the late African drum master Baba Olatungi, jazz guitarist Bruce Dunlap, cellist David Darling, vocalist/instrumentalist Jai Uttal, world percussionist Glen Velez, composer/cellist, Eugene Friesen, and avant-garde composer/pianist Terry Riley. She has collaborated with the renowned poet and translator of Rumi’s poetry, Coleman Barks, across America in the Rumi Concert, along with award-winning world musicians. rumiconcert.com

As a solo performer, her soul-stirring concerts weave together stories and myths of world cultures in praise of Life. She has composed and recorded many songs based on the poetry of mysticsrom many traditions, as well as her own words. zuleikha.com