Heart of Afghanistan

The Heart of Afghanistan project features four brilliant Afghan musicians—famed singer/Afghan TV star Ahmad Fanoos on vocals & harmonium, his sons Elham on piano and Fanoos on violin, and Ahmad Sohail Karimi on tabla—who are currently unable to perform inside Afghanistan, where the Taliban has banned all music. The group carries the flame of Afghanistan’s rich and complex musical heritage from its pre-Islamic Buddhist period to the modern era. Their program includes traditional ghazals based on the Sufi-inspired poetry of Rumi, Afghan folk music, and hits by legendary singer Ahmad Zahir.

This concert will also be streamed. Performance subject to change.

Watch a video explaining how Ahmad Fanoos and his family got out of Afghanistan

Watch a video profile of the ensemble

General Admission Tickets: (includes live performance and access to performance stream) $25 General public | $20 Middlebury ID holders | $10 Youth (Under 21) | $5 Middlebury students

Streaming-only Tickets: $15 | $5 Middlebury students

48-hour access to the performance stream available starting Thursday, January 12 at 7:30 PM ET.

Streaming ticket sales are only available until the start of the live performance.

About streaming and sound: Our streams are meant to capture the “sound in the room” without post-production sound editing. Bear in mind the sound quality will not compare to a studio recording.

Vaccinations and boosters (or valid medical or religious exemptions) required. Masks optional (but welcome!) except under certain conditions.