Nesrin Simsek, of Spring Hill, has been practicing Kurdish daf for over 20 years. Originally from the Kurdistan region of Turkey, she was introduced to the instrument as a teenager at cultural programs and music gatherings in her community. She was immediately fascinated by the instrument and sought out mentorship from local musicians. After only three months of training, Nesrin was accomplished enough to perform on stage with her older sisters at Kurdish festivals and events. Her learning process was rooted in oral and community-centered teaching traditions, where the rhythm and cultural knowledge were passed down through participation, observation, and live performances. She continued to develop her love of daf through years of practice, collaboration, and performance. More than a musical instrument, the daf represents an important part of Nesrin’s cultural identity. Since moving to Tennessee, she has continued teaching and performing Kurdish music. She serves as the Vice President and Music Group Director of the Kurdish Culture and Music Association (KCMA), a nonprofit dedicated to fostering and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Kurdish community within Nashville.
Kurdish daf is a frame drum deeply rooted in Kurdish musical and cultural traditions. Skin is stretched over a cylindrical wooden frame and affixed with nails. The frame of the daf can be made from a variety of woods such as grapevine, maple, and sycamore. Chains attached to the inner wall of the frame give the drum resonance when it is played using the four fingers of the left hand and the five fingers of the right hand. The daf is traditionally used in celebrations, community gatherings, and folk music performances throughout Kurdistan. Beyond musical accompaniment, the daf is a powerful means of expression for Kurds, representing cultural identity and preserving collective memory through storytelling and ancient rhythms.
Nesrin explains, “I believe it is very important to preserve and pass down the Kurdish daf tradition because it carries cultural memory, history, language, identity, and community connection across generations. Kurdish traditional music has historically been transmitted through oral teaching…Because of migration, displacement, and cultural assimilation, preserving these traditions has become increasingly important, especially within diaspora communities living outside of Kurdistan. In Tennessee, opportunities to learn traditional Kurdish music and daf practices are still very limited, particularly for younger generations growing up away from their cultural homeland.” She goes on to state that, “For Kurdish women especially, the daf also represents artistic expression, visibility, resilience, and cultural continuity. By teaching and sharing this tradition…I hope to help preserve an important cultural art form while strengthening community identity and intergenerational connection for future generations.”
As part of the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program this year, Nesrin will mentor Yad Sharef. Yad began learning daf from Nesrin in November of 2025 after seeing a KCMA social media post about a course called, “Daf As Resistance: The Rhythm of Women,” dedicated to International Women’s Day. Yad was inspired by Nesrin’s performance: “I just loved how free and powerful she looked, and how I felt as though she was using the Daf as a form of processing all her pain through the rhythms, which also made her performances so inspirational.” Yad is eager to deepen her knowledge of the daf, including traditional rhythm patterns, accompaniment techniques, and improvisation. She explains, “The Daf is more than an instrument for me; it has always given me strength and resistance whenever I have heard it, and I feel it even more since I have started practicing it. So, my goal is to become an experienced Daf player to continue the tradition, especially as a Kurd living in diaspora.” The team looks forward to sharing their music at events around Nashville and the annual Newroz celebration in March.
