An extraordinary musical experience, the Harbour to Harbour tour will bring together two ancient musical traditions on a grand scale for the second time this June.
The 2025 tour will unite the Lian Band, a leading folkloric ensemble led by Mohsen Sharifian from southern Iran, with Indigenous artists William Barton and Aunty Delmae Barton in a series of concerts across Australia.
Blending the soulful ney-anbān (Iran's traditional bagpipe) with the deep resonance of the didgeridoo, Harbour to Harbour 2 is set to be an elevated journey of sound.
Building on a sold-out debut series in 2023 that attracted over 2,200 attendees across three Australian cities, the second edition of Harbour to Harbour expands its reach and ambition.
This year the tour welcomes Aunty Delmae Barton, a revered Aboriginal singer and storyteller, to join the ensemble in Melbourne and Sydney, sharing timeless stories passed down through generations and carried in the hearts of mothers.
Audiences will experience an outstanding exchange between Persian and First Nations Australian musical heritage, underscoring how music can connect people from harbour to harbour, 17000 kilometers apart.
Sharifian has dedicated his career to preserving and reinventing the folk music of southern Iran and founded the Lian Band in 1993, now one of the country's most acclaimed traditional ensembles. Together with Lian band, Mohsen has performed in over 30 countries, captivating audiences with the energetic rhythms and melodies of Boushehr.
"Music is a universal language that brings hearts together. Through the Harbour to Harbour tour, we share the sounds of Bushehr's coastline with our friends in Australia," he said.
"Collaborating with William Barton and Aunty Delmae is a dream come true. Together we build a musical dialogue between our ancient cultures, showing that art can unite us across oceans and generations."
Sharifian is also joined by his daughter Liana Sharifian, Iran's first female ney-anbān player, and vocalist Aka Safavi, among other traditional musicians from the Bushehr region.
Returning to the stage for a second collaboration with Lian band, acclaimed didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton will reflect on the deep connection forged during their first encounter.
"In that first meeting with Mohsen, even across languages, we felt there was heart and spirit there," he said.
"It's going to be a profound concert, with Mohsen and his ney-anbān telling stories of his motherland. I'll be doing the same, sharing that moment on stage with my mum, Aunty Delmae. It's about reflecting and acknowledging their [elders'] contribution to our life."
With Barton recognised as Australia's foremost didgeridoo virtuoso - having performed on world stages from the Sydney Opera House to New York's Carnegie Hall - and Aunty Delmae Barton often called Australia's "Dreamtime Opera Diva" - together the mother and son duo are bound to push boundaries, engage audience members and proudly represent mob on the stage.
The Harbour to Harbour 2 tour will travel from Melbourne to Adelaide and Sydney, concluding in Perth, with tickets available to purchase now.
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