By Sam Wilkin MUSCAT (Reuters) – The sharp sound of a sorna, an Iranian oboe-like instrument, pierced the silence of Muscat's Royal Opera House. As other Gulf Arab countries fret over what they see as a growing Iranian military influence, hundreds of Omanis turned out on Thursday to welcome the 14 members of the Rastak ensemble to their capital and drink in the sounds of Iranian folk music. "The sheer presence of Rastak is a celebration of our close ties with Iran. Rastak, founded in 1997 by a group of music students in Tehran, has brought its energetic brand of Iranian folk music to some of the world's leading venues including London's Barbican, but Thursday's one-night performance was its first in the Gulf.

Source: Yahoo Music
Link: Music makes friends as Iran's Rastak ensemble crosses Gulf