Cincinnati Arts: Local Musicians Preserve Persian, Chinese, and Carnatic Traditions
A new radio special features three distinct groups maintaining their cultural heritage through performance and education in the region.
By Chioma Brooks ·
Public Radio Music Day 2026 serves as the backdrop for a new one-hour broadcast titled A Classical Kaleidoscope. The program profiles local artists who sustain three distinct classical music traditions within Cincinnati. The special focuses on Persian, Chinese, and Carnatic music forms practiced in the city.
The Cincinnati Persian Music Ensemble has operated in the region for nearly four decades. Dr. Freidoon Ghazi, a cardiologist, founded the group in 1987 alongside other musicians. The ensemble performs at the Corbett Auditorium of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and at events within the Iranian community. Siavash Mostajabi, a tombak player, states the group provides a space for musicians to practice and keeps the tradition alive for local residents.
The ensemble’s current lineup includes Freidoon Ghazi on violin, Ali Razavi on lead vocals, Siavash Mostajabi on tombak, Nadia Kardgar as a backup singer, Trinity Lê on piano, and Shuo Feng. Ghazi studied Western classical performance in Iran before moving to the United States. Ali Razavi developed his vocal skills under George Gibson, a voice teacher and opera director. The group utilizes the violin, an instrument related to the Persian kamancheh, to perform traditional Persian modes.
Shuo Feng operates the Chinese-US Cultural Exchange Academy in Cincinnati. She teaches guzheng and the Chinese language at her studio. Feng has brought guzheng presentations to the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Purdue University, and various K-12 schools in the Midwest. With forty years of experience, she focuses on introducing students to Chinese culture and the guzheng instrument. Her studio has performed at venues such as the Cincinnati Art Museum.
A new Carnatic classical trio joined the special for a collaborative performance. The group consists of Malathy Vijay on vocals, Sumant Anantharam on mridangam, and Aadhivan Ramkumar on violin. This was the first time these three musicians played together. Vijay teaches Carnatic vocal performance at the Ragavardhini School of Music in Mason. She performed two pieces while Ramkumar and Anantharam provided improvisational accompaniment.
Sumant Anantharam is new to the Cincinnati community. He is a multi-instrumentalist who is currently looking to collaborate with other artists and build a local studio. Aadhivan Ramkumar is a Carnatic violinist and an alumnus of the music composition program at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. The violin has a history in South Asian music, brought to the region through British colonization and adapted for the Carnatic tradition.
The broadcast highlights the exchange of musical techniques across these different cultures. The guzheng has traveled to music schools and classrooms across the Midwest, contributing to the education of future musicians. The three traditions share a history of mutual influence that continues in their current practice. The artists are available for contact through their respective school websites and email addresses provided in the broadcast materials.
Source: WGUC
