Sarmast | Studio150 Bethlehemkerk X Amarte - Live Concert

Sarmast: A bridge between East and West

August 26st 2025,
Start time: 20.00u

Reza Mirjalali and Loek van den Berg, Flavia Escartin en Udo Demandt form Sarmast, a unique quartet in which Iranian, Armenian, and Western music come together. The name – Persian for “ecstatic” – reflects the emotional intensity of their music.

Reza, a virtuoso on the Tar, Oud, and Kalimba, grew up in Iran and is deeply rooted in the Radif and Maqam traditions. Loek, an award-winning saxophonist, is known for his lyrical and captivating style. In addition to the saxophone, he plays the Duduk, allowing him to connect in a unique way with Eastern traditions.
Flavia adds a lyrical, folky color with her cello, yet effortlessly takes on the role of a rock bass whenever the music calls for it.It all comes together with Udo, whose versatile percussion set-up provides a full spectrum of colors to bring the music to life.

With Sarmast, they explore new possibilities for their instruments and musical traditions. Through improvisation and experimentation, they forge a musical world where jazz, maqam music, and modern compositions come together. Sarmast blurs boundaries and takes the audience on a journey full of melody, interaction, and emotion.

Special guest fort his concert is Saghar Khadem on Tombak