Loek van den Berg & Reza Mirjalali

The theme of this year's Grachtenfestival is Green! As a result, the house, garden, and rooftop terrace concerts have been replaced by a series of performances held in and around Amsterdam’s famous canal gardens.

When the canal belt was originally designed, gardens were incorporated into the plan as well. Hidden behind the façades of the grand canal houses, these gardens form the city's secret green spaces. A 17th-century law still protects many of these gardens today.

Especially for this year's festival, a number of these normally inaccessible gardens will be open to the public and host special concerts

Reza Mirjalali and Loek van den Berg form Sarmast, a unique duo in which Iranian and Western music come together. Sarmast, Persian for “intoxicated” or “ecstatic,” reflects the emotional intensity of their music.

Mirjalali, a virtuoso on tar, oud, and kalimba, grew up in Iran surrounded by radif and makam traditions.

Van den Berg, an award-winning saxophonist, is known for his lyrical and immersive style. In addition to saxophone, he also plays the duduk, allowing him to connect with Eastern traditions in a distinctive way.

Through improvisation and experimentation, they create a contemporary sonic world in which jazz, maqam music, and modern composition flow seamlessly into one another.

Musicians 
Loek van den Berg saxophone & duduk 
Reza Mirjalai tar, oud & kalimba 

You will receive information about the concert venue by email the day before the concert.