Behind the Podcast: The Nightingale of Iran | Concert and Conversation
Sunday, Sep 22, 2024
In Person at the Weitzman
4:00 PM ET Cash Bar | 5:00 PM ET Program Starts
Join us for an evening featuring Galeet Dardashti (vocalist/composer) as she, along with her live band, presents “Monajat.” This performance brings to life the nearly lost recordings of her grandfather, Younes Dardashti, the most renowned Jewish singer in Iran’s history. Held near the traditional Selichot service, the concert offers a connection to the spiritual and musical traditions of Persian Jews. Through a mix of traditional and contemporary sounds, and accompanying stunning video art Galeet aims to honor and preserve her grandfather’s legacy.
The program will continue with a multimedia presentation from Galeet and Danielle Dardashti (storyteller/documentarian) focused on their award-winning audio documentary, The Nightingale of Iran. The program will conclude with an on stage discussion where the Dardashti sisters will explore their grandfather’s musical journey and its impact on their family. The discussion will cover the making of the podcast, the historical and personal narratives it presents, and the significance of their grandfather’s music. Audience members will have the opportunity to learn more about Younes Dardashti’s life and the creative process behind the podcast.
About Galeet and Danielle Dardashti
Dr. Galeet Dardashti is a musician/composer, anthropologist, and culture creator. She has earned a reputation as a trail-blazing performer, educator, and advocate for Middle Eastern and North African Jewish culture. Galeet is widely known as leader/founder of the renowned all-woman powerhouse Sephardi/Mizrahi Jewish ensemble, Divahn, and from her nationally acclaimed solo release, The Naming. In her new award-winning release, Monajat, Galeet remixes samples of her famed Iranian grandfather’s recordings to create an original soundscape. Time Out New York has described her music as “urgent, heartfelt and hypnotic;” The Huffington Post called it “heart-stopping.” As a scholar, Galeet specializes in Mizrahi music, media, and cultural politics. She has held Assistant Professor positions at NYU and JTS and is currently a Fellow at University of Pennsylvania. She offers scholar/artist-in-residencies, lectures, and workshops on her academic and artistic work throughout North America and beyond.
Danielle Dardashti is a storyteller, documentarian and author. She leads corporate storytelling workshops all over the world, and helps companies tell their stories through impactful films and podcasts. Danielle’s clients include companies like Pfizer, Marriott, and Intel. She is an Emmy award-winning documentarian who has written and produced six TV documentaries for Discovery and other networks. Danielle spent the first decade of her career as an on-air news reporter at TV stations in Ohio, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. She is a Moth storySLAM champion who has been featured on NPR’s Moth Radio Hour. Danielle and her husband are co-authors of The Jewish Family Fun Book (Jewish Lights publishing) and she is the co-founder and creative director of live storytelling show StoryBOOM. Danielle was a fellow in the Maimonides Fund’s 2022-2023 cohort of The Digital Storytellers Lab (part of the Jewish Writers’ Initiative), where she developed the pilot and trailer for The Nightingale of Iran.
Danielle and Galeet are co-creators and co-executive producers of The Nightingale of Iran. The 6-episode series was released in March 2024 and has already been recognized as Best Podcast of 2024 by The Quill Podcast Awards, as well as Best Society and Culture Podcast of 2024. It was an official selection of the June 2024 Tribeca Festival Creators Market. Danielle & Galeet were also included by the New York Jewish Week as 2024 “36 to Watch” honorees.
About “The Nightingale of Iran” Podcast
Produced by Galeet and Danielle Dardashti, “The Nightingale of Iran” podcast tells the compelling story of their grandfather, Younes Dardashti, and his extraordinary musical journey. The podcast has resonated with listeners globally, offering a poignant exploration of family, music, and identity.
Produced in Partnership with the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies and Philadelphia Jewish Film and Media.
This project is made possible in part through the Mid Atlantic Folk and Traditional Arts – Community Projects program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
