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What is Tombak?

  • The tombak is the principal percussion instrument of Persian classical music, renowned for its rich variety of sounds and expressive possibilities. Its name evokes two fundamental sounds of the drum: Tom, the low-pitched sound, and Bak, the high-pitched sound.

  • At Tombak Academy, we use the language of the drum to vocalize, understand, and memorize rhythmic patterns. This distinctive approach helps students internalize rhythms naturally, developing their technique, coordination, and musical expression.

Instructor(s)

Ziya Tabassian

Recognized for his virtuosity and innovative approach to percussion, Ziya Tabassian began studying the tombak at the age of ten in Iran. After moving to Quebec, he pursued Western classical percussion studies with Julien Grégoire and earned a Bachelor's degree in Performance from the Université de Montréal.

His artistic journey has led him to study with renowned percussion masters, including Bahman Rajabi, Aziz Alami, Trichy Sankaran, Mısırli Ahmet, Shree Sundarkumar, and Yogesh Samsi. A pivotal residency at the Banff Centre in 2003 further shaped his exploration of Iranian percussion in contemporary musical contexts.

With a career spanning more than three decades and performances in over 40 countries, Tabassian has developed a distinctive musical voice at the crossroads of Persian classical music, early music, contemporary music, and diverse musical traditions.

His extensive research into historical Persian rhythmic cycles has inspired several solo albums, including Tombak, The Circle of the Cycles, and Zarb-e Osul, exploring the relationship between traditional rhythms, innovative techniques, and contemporary composition.

Through Tombak Academy, Tabassian shares his experience and passion for Persian percussion with students around the world. His progressive teaching method combines technical development, rhythmic understanding, and musical creativity, encouraging students to discover the expressive possibilities of the tombak and develop their own musical voice.

www.ziyatabassian.com

One-To-One Online Tombak Lessons

Looking for personalized guidance? Study directly with Ziya Tabassian through individual online lessons tailored to your level, interests, and musical goals.

Testimonials

User friendly

John Skoczen

It’s quite user friendly, and the most important aspect of that is that I can dial in on exactly what I want to work on and see how it’s supposed to sound!

High musicality

Peter Pelz

This material is so good for learning, didactically very well organized and of high musicality!