Born into one of Afghanistan’s leading musical families in 1976, Homayoun Sakhi’s mastery of classical Afghan music has been a lifelong journey interrupted by conflict, censorship, and outright bans on music in his home country. Sakhi studied as an apprentice with his father, Ghulam Sakhi, from the age of 10. But as violence increased in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, his family uprooted and moved to the Pakistani city of Peshawar. In Peshawar, Sakhi continued his studies, found community among other Afghani musicians, and gained popularity as a performer. He eventually opened a school to teach Afghan music to children and moved to the United States in 2001, where he continued to teach and create music.

Today, Sakhi is known as a master of the rubab — a double-chambered lute and the national instrument of Afghanistan. His charismatic performances reflect elements of traditional north Indian and Iranian music, ignited with his own imaginative touches and personality. He is joined on stage by renowned percussionist Salar Nader.

Photo: Darek Mazzone