Robert Hoover 28045 Paula Street Detroit Lakes MN 56501-6907 (218) 847-6345 (701) 237-5108 Work Samples Images: (select to enlarge)

Robert Hoover Scandanavian bentwood boxes and baskets Robert makes boxes and baskets that represent traditions from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. He has taught classes in both bentwood called tine and birch bark called never. Robert began making tines with a Norwegian immigrant instructor and then took classes from an international instructor from Bøda, Norway. With those experiences as a basis, Robert's repertoire of traditional boxes has expanded to include many elaborations on the styles he was taught. Bentwood boxes are made by bending thin wood to make the sides of box. Birch bark is used for making the sides of boxes and baskets, and wood is used for rest of boxes. Many Scandinavian immigrants brought their boxes with them when they emigrated, and the art established itself with the communities that settled in the Midwest. Available: Anytime Space: 3 by 8 ft. table for display, 8 by 10 ft. space for work area Fee: Negotiable

Additional Information:
Robayat performs Persian music, as well as Kurdish, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Middle Eastern, and other regional styles that have been influenced by Persian culture.

The Persian styles of music in Robayat's repertoire are quite diverse, including older traditional forms, songs from the time of the Shah, and even more recent popular styles that are well loved by Iranians living in exile. Most of Robayat's pieces are sung in Farsi, the main language of Iran. Persian music has ancient roots that may extend as far back as 500 B.C. While it shares many instruments and musical elements with Arabic styles, it is distinctive in many ways. Robayat's performances highlight the special qualities of Persian music, but they often include pieces from other regions, demonstrating variations in dialect, instrumentation, and rhythmic structure.

Maryam Yusufzadeh, a native of Iran, founded Robayat in 1989. She had originally trained at the Tehran School of Music, and in 1975, she came to the U.S. to participate in the University of Minnesota's BFA program in Art, Music and Dance Performance. For several years, she performed on her own and gave master classes. In 1987, percussionist Tim O'Keefe found a tape of her music, contacted her, and became one of her students. Two years later, joined by Tim Sparks and David Stenshoel, they began to perform as a group. They soon gained a following among the local Persian community, and they became known to a broader audience through performances at Twin Cities music venues, art organizations, festivals, and schools. At present, they perform using voice, hand drums, oud, guitar, violin, the four-stringed sehtar, jhumbush, and saz. For some performances, they bring in guest artists who play other instruments. Members of Robayat are often hired to perform with visiting Persian musicians, and they maintain contact with several who currently live in Iran. Their repertoire is always expanding.

Robayat offers educational programs as well as purely musical performances.