The great Persian poet and mystic Djalaleddine Rumi (1207-1273) left a body of work encompassing over 100,000 lines of verse. It is a timeless source of passion, but also a guide that lifts the spirit. His poems have frequently inspired me, and I have been setting them to music for many years now. The RUMI project took shape more concretely after I met the vocalist Ghalia Benali, whose art touched me deeply, with it's capacity to transform each moment into a state of wonder and each note into a fascinating story. Together, Ghalia and I chose a selection of poems, both in Persian and in Arabic. Enjoy an hour of music both profound and spontaneous, that follows "in the footsteps of Rumi". (Kiya Tabassian)