Salar Nader

Hailed as “one of the most prominent of the next generation of tabla players” by the Los Angeles Times, Salar Nader is recognized as a virtuoso and global ambassador weaving South Asian arts into the musical traditions of his Afghanistan heritage.

A percussionist, composer, and producer, Salar studied under Ustad Zakir Hussain since the age of seven. He has toured widely with Kronos Quartet, Wu Man, Stanley Clarke, Miles From India, and Third Coast Percussion; Central Asian master musicians Homayoun Sakhi, Abbos Kosimov, and the Aga Khan Music Initiative; and legendary Indian classical musicians including Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Rahul Sharma, Rakesh Chaurasia, and many others.

Salar scored the original stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel “The Kite Runner,” which had a groundbreaking run on Broadway in 2022 and national tour in 2024. He has performed and recorded with contemporary electronic artists including Cheb i Sabbah, Niyaz, and Grand Tapestry.

In 2025, Salar premiered Zakir Hussain’s “Murmurs in Time” with Third Coast Percussion, for whom the piece was written, and he continues to tour with them internationally. Recently Salar performed with the Bang On a Can All-Stars in a 90th birthday tribute to Terry Riley at the Ford in Los Angeles, produced by the LA Philharmonic. Salar continues his dedication to community engagement, workshops, and cross-cultural understanding.