Bamdad Fotouhi

Bamdad Fotouhi is an Iranian-Canadian percussionist and educator, born in Paris, France in 1978, with over 20 years of experience in Tonbak and Daf. Although trained in civil engineering, his passion has always been Iranian traditional music.

He has performed across Iran and Canada and collaborated with legendary masters like Hossein Dehlavi, Hossein Alizadeh, Majid Derakhshani, Hossein Behroozinia, Saeed Farajpouri, Davoud Azad, and Keivan Saket. Since moving to Canada in 2013, Bamdad has become an active performer, educator, and cultural contributor.

As the percussionist of the Ân Trio Ensemble since 2018, he has played a key role in music and educational projects. His work has been recognized by prestigious organizations, including the Canada Council for the Arts (Explore and Create Award) and the Ontario Arts Council (Music Creation Grant).

He currently leads “Lessons for Tonbak”, an innovative project to modernize and preserve Iranian drumming traditions. Bamdad teaches in Toronto, where he continues to share the rhythms and soul of Persian music.