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The Jews have been living in Persia from when it was called Babylon (500 BCE). In modern times it is known as Iran, a modern Islamic State. Since 1948 with the founding of the State of Israel many Jews living in Iran felt their lives under threat and left their beloved homeland. One of them was the singer Janet YeHudayan who continues to sing and preserve the authentic musical expression of the Jews of Iran.
Janet accompanied by the best Persian musicians playing the ethnical authentic Persian instruments wonderfully performs the beautiful, thrilling, noble and subtle Persian songs. In Persian music special vocalization- a unique trilling technique called “chah chah” (the bird chirping).
Janet together with a virtuoso group of Israeli musicians playing on different classical instruments also performs their original materials of the ensemble, new songs, lyrics and also improvisation on the traditional authentic eastern Israeli music.
Janet Rotstein Yehudayan, born in Teheran and immigrated to Israel alone at age of 14. She received her student diploma from “kfar hanoar Hassidim” afterwards she received her B.S.C. and M.A. degree (both with distinction) from the Hebrew university of Jerusalem in pharmacology and business administration. After she was mom of 2 girls she came back to academic studies and received her diploma in nutrition sciences as an expert in diabetes.
She also studied for 2 years at the “school of visual theatre” in Jerusalem. During her 13 years in Israel she blocked herself off from anything that sounded Persian, and it was not until 1985, during a year’s stay in West Africa with her husband, that memories of the music of her childhood began to stir.
This marked the start of a process of reconciliation and renewal, and ever since, Jeanette has devoted herself to collecting, classifying, studying and performing different types of Persian music.
Janet accompanied by the best Persian musicians playing the ethnical authentic Persian instruments wonderfully performs the beautiful, thrilling, noble and subtle Persian songs. In Persian music special vocalization- a unique trilling technique called “chah chah” (the bird chirping).
Jeanette together with a virtuoso group of Israeli musicians playing on different classical instruments also performs their original materials of the ensemble, new songs, lyrics and also improvisation on the traditional authentic eastern Israeli music.
Janet has participated in “Mon Pelier” Festival, and “Une Seul Voix” festival in France and “Sschlezvig- Holstein” in Germany. she has also appeared at many festivals in Israel, among them: the “Dror” festival, “jaffa nights” festival, the international vocal festival in Acre, “Hearing the World” festival in “Mishkan leomanuyot Habama” in Tel Aviv, in “Susan Dalal” center in Tel Aviv, in “Tzavta” Tel Aviv in the framework of oud festival and in the Jerusalem Israel Festivals.
She has also performed on many various radio and TV programs.
For further information go to her web site at http://www.janet-music.net/
