Homayoun Sakhi
“A brilliant virtuoso endowed with a charismatic musical presence and personality.”
Homayoun Sakhi, an Afghan rubab maestro, was born in Kabul in 1976 to a renowned musical lineage. From age ten, he immersed himself in mastering the national instrument, the double-chambered rubab, under his father’s tutelage in the traditional ustâd-shâgird apprenticeship. In 1992, he and his family sought refuge in Peshawar, Pakistan, following the chaos of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Sakhi’s exceptional talents gained recognition there, making him a popular entertainer known for his diverse repertoire.
In 2001, he relocated to Fremont, California, home to the largest Afghan community in the US where he introduced his refined rubab style, quickly becoming a local musical leader, earning national and international acclaim as a performer, teacher, and composer. Sakhi established a school, recorded albums, and became a sought-after performer, dedicating hours daily to honing his rubab skills. As a composer, he collaborated with renowned artists, revitalizing the rubab by infusing it with contemporary and global influences.
In 2020, he founded the Rubab Academy, an online school dedicated to promoting Afghan music and the rubab. Through online classes, he has taught students from around the world, contributing to the global dissemination of this music and the rubab. Despite adversity in Afghanistan’s turbulent times, Sakhi has and continues to preserve and elevate the rubab’s classical style. His unique approach blends tradition with a modern sensibility, earning him international acclaim and captivating audiences worldwide.