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Welcome to the first series of the "Traditions of the Frame Drum", a project which aims to promote via educational/musical events the rich traditions of one of the most ancient and versitile type of drums in the world, "the frame drum", as it is generically called in English. Throughout history, from its shamanic roots in Siberia, this drum has travelled through trade routes and adapted to the various regions and cultures it came in contact with. Today, we will present the Kurdish Daf and the singing tradition its is attached to. Two awards winning artists will hold the space for you to learn the rich rhythms and songs from this tradition: Sara Fotros (daf) and Gülseven Medar (voice). Each workshop will be taught separately and yet, they will be inter-connected. The rhythms learnt in the Daf workshop will be linked to the songs learnt in the singing workshop. You can decide to come to just one of the workshops, or you can come to both for a special reduced price. Schedule for Sunday 23rd November: Daf with Sara Fotros from 11AM to 1:15PM. Entrance time: 10:50AM. All levels welcomed. Bring your own drum if you have one. If you need one let us know. Kurdish singing with Gulseven Medar from 2 to 4:15 PM. All levels welcomed. PLEASE CHECK TRANSPORT BEFORE COMING! Nearest stations are: Highgate and Archway (Northen Line) and Upper Holloway (Overground). It is a 10 minute walk from Highgate, 12 minute walk from Archway and 15 from Upper Holloway. YOU CAN CATCH THE 43 BUS FROM ARCHWAY AND UPPER HOLLOWAY STATION AS WELL AND STOP AT LANGDON PARK ROAD. TRY TO ARRIVE 10 MINUTES BEFORE EACH WORKSHOP! We will need to leave the premises by 4:30PM. We recommend you to bring your own snacks and drinks for lunch or go to the nearby cafes in the area. We will provide tea and biscuits. About the artists Sara Fotros is a professional award winning percussionist based in London. She has performed at the national and international levels with various ensembles in Iran, the UK, and globally. As a recording artist, she has been featured on numerous audio and visual projects for several popular contemporary and traditional bands, including Ajam, who were prominently selected by the BBC. In 2008, she won first place in the Daf Player’s Competition held in Kurdistan Province, Iran, at the Sanandaj Daf Festival, solidifying her reputation as a master of her craft. Sara co-founded the Zagros Percussion Ensemble in 2023, working closely with their students to create and perform rhythmic compositions inspired by Kurdish, Persian, and fusion music. Gulseven Medar is a vocalist from Turkey renowned for her interpretations of traditional folk songs from Anatolia and Mesopotamia. She performs with a unique vocal expression that bridges the traditional and the contemporary, creating a powerful connection between the past and the present. Her repertoire is rooted in Alevi, Kurdish, Turkish and Zaza folk traditions, while also encompassing Armenian, Arabic, Hebrew and Roma songs, reflecting the rich multilingual and multicultural heritage of the region. Beyond her solo projects and recordings, Medar has appeared in numerous concert programmes celebrating diverse musical traditions. She has also taken leading roles in several folk operas and theatre productions, combining her skills as both a singer and an actor. Her multidisciplinary and cross-cultural performances have been presented in collaboration with internationally acclaimed musicians across various genres. She has performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages, including London’s Royal Albert Hall and King’s Place, Amsterdam’s Theatre Carré and Stadsschouwburg, and Athens’ Odeon of Herodes Atticus. Medar his the founder and leading member of the Universal Art Collective (UAC), an international artist organisation established in the UK About the organiser Elizabeth Nott is a musician whose main focus has been the percussion traditions of the Middle East. Since her studies in Ethnomusicology at SOAS 22 years ago, Elizabeth has not stopped performing, learning and teaching this vast tradition in the UK, where she recently participated at Drum Camp Festival as facilitator of Frame Drum and Darbukka workshops as well as Drum Circles. She created "Frame Drums UK" in 2011 to promote the various traditions of this drum from around the world. Elizabeth has performed with various artist including Maya Youssef, Ahmed Mukthar, Karma, Tatcho Drom, Yaz Ahmed, Amira Kheir, Olcay Bayir and many more and also featured in the recording albums of some of these artists (I.e "Finding Home" Maya Youssef, "View from somewhere" Amira Kheir and "Neva" Olcay Bayir) On another note, Elizabeth is a Sound Healer, Reiki Master and tutor.

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