BBC Symphony Orchestra Iran Week: Persepolis - Discovering the Music of Iran

Hormoz Farhat

Hormoz Farhat (b. 1929) was born in Iran. He studied music at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Mills College, California, graduating with the degrees of BA in music, MA in composition and PhD in composition and ethnomusicology. His composition teachers included Darius Milhaud, Lukas Foss and Roy Harris. After holding a number of academic music posts in the USA and Iran, he took up the post of professor of music at Trinity College Dublin in 1982 until his retirement in 1995.As a composer, he has written a sizeable body of works including concertos for piano, flute and clarinet, six string quartets and numerous chamber works.

Aminollah Hossein

Aminollah Hossein was a French composer of Persian origins (1905-1983). As a composer, Hossein was much inspired by traditional Persian music, and most of his works demonstrate this intellectual preoccupation. He knew the tar very well and could be considered one of the great tar players of his time. He began playing this instrument, ancestor to most string instruments, as a child, and later composed several works for it. He was a fairly prolific composer and was generally acclaimed by the critics. He also composed some twenty film scores, mostly for films directed by his son, Robert Hossein, the French actor and director. As a composer trying to find expression in Western music for ideas derived from Persian impressions, Hossein must be considered as one of the pioneers whose music was by and large well received. Others, both before and after Hossein, have tried to make use of Persian melodies in classical music, but none received as large an audience as he did. In the Persepolis Symphony Hossein sets out to evoke the wonders and glories of the ruins of the ancient city.

Jean-Philippe Rameau

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764) was the most important composer of theatre music in 18th century France - writing what we know as opera and ballet. After 250 years his music is still widely performed. Zoroastre is a tragdie lyrique: of its premiere in Paris in 1749 it was said: "The scenery, the theatrical machines, the costumes were of magnificence and splendour…." The plot concerns Zoroastre, the magician King of Bactria (a province of the Persian Empire) - and founder of the religion that bears his name. The overture is the lively opening to the opera.

Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) was one of the most revered Russian composers and teachers of his generation. He is famous for his operas, based on Russian history or fairy-tales, and for Sheherezade (1888) - a "Symphonic Suite after the 1001 Nights". The work musically represents the exotic tales from Persia, Arabia and Egypt described in the stories.

Karol Szymanowski

The Polish composer Karol Szymanowski (1882-1937) travelled widely throughout Europe, the Russian Empire and North Africa. He developed an interest in Arab and Persian culture and studied Islam - inspired by German translations of the 14th century mystical Persian poet Hafiz - and wrote music influenced by his studies. In 1914 he set eight poems by Hafiz for voice and piano, and later orchestrated them. The three chosen for this concert are: Your voice, To be young when old and Drinking Song.

Amir Tafreshipour

Amir Tafreshipour (b. 1974) received his BA in pedagogic and piano performance from Esbjerg Music Conservatory in Denmark. In 2003 he received his BA in composition from Trinity College of Music in London. He was also awarded a silver medal by the Duke of Kent for his outstanding achievement. In 1993 and 1994 he won the 2nd and 1st prize at the yearly World Music Festival in Vejle - Denmark. In 1996 he was nominated as the ‘Foreign Artist of the Year' in Denmark. He is a composer in residence for Gahrn Ensemble based in Denmark who often performs in Denmark, Poland and Norway. In 2002 he was commissioned to compose the national anthem of Iranian Scouts Society of Iran. In 2003 he won the first prize of the Tehran University composition competition. Recently he had a world premier of his piece Persian Fantasy for harp performed by the international solo harpist and BBC symphony orchestra principal harpist Sioned Williams in Iran.

James Edwards

James Edwards is one of the leading principal tenors of his generation and he is highly in demand on the international classical music world. His work includes opera, oratorio and Lieder and he works with the world's leading orchestras and conductors. He began singing as a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral, later continuing his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. On the concert platform he works frequently with orchestras including London Sinfonietta, The London Mozart Players, The English Sinfonia, LSO and RPO: conductors include Sir Edward Downes, Bruno Campanella, Mark Elder, Sir Charles Mackerras and Antonio Pappano. On the opera stage he has worked with directors including Elijah Moshinsky, Richard Jones, David Pountney, Jonathan Miller, Phyllida Lloyd , Moshe Leiser, Patrice Caurier and Robert Wilson.

Pascal Rophé

Pascal Rophé is widely recognised as one of the finest specialists in twentieth-century repertoire and works with the majority of the key European ensembles devoted to contemporary music, but also conducts with increasingly frequency the mainstream symphonic repertoire of the past two centuries. From the 2006/07 season, Pascal Rophé will take up the post of Music Director at the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège.

He works with all the major French orchestras, as well as the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Residentie Orkest of The Hague, and the RAI Turin. In the 2005/06 season he makes his US debut with the St Louis Symphony Orchestra, as well as debut appearances with the Philharmonia, the Orchestra National de Belgique and the Academia of Santa Cecilia in Rome, and his subscription debut with the Orchestre de Paris.

Pascal Rophé is an devoted interpreter of opera. In 2004 he conducted a new production for the Châtelet of Landowski’s Le Fou, and made his Glyndebourne Touring Opera debut with Pélléas et Mélisande, and in June 2005 he conducted Massenet’s Thaïs for the Rome Opera. In the 2005/06 season he will lead the premiere of Michael Jarrell’s Galilée at the Geneva Opera.

Sioned Williams

Sioned Williams is one of the most outstanding harpists of her generation. After her initial success in competitions and in gaining awards and scholarships she became known on the concert platform worldwide, regularly appearing in prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall. She combines her work as Principal Harpist of the BBC Symphony Orchestra with solo appearances, recordings and teaching. She has taken part in all the major British festivals, as well as many festivals in Europe, America, Japan and elsewhere. Her schedule in recent years has included a concerto appearance with William Bennett and the ECO at the Barbican, the first modern-day performance of Adagio by John Thomas with the BBC Welsh SO, and recitals with such artists as Neil Mackie, Malcolm Messiter, Michael Chance and Martyn Hill.

Hossein Behroozi-Nia

Hossein Behroozi-Nia was born in 1962 in Tehran Iran. He studied Tar with Reza Vohdaney, Barbat with Mansour Nariman and the Radif with Mohammad Reza Lotfi. He was a student at the Conservatory of Persian Music, and later the Music Director of Ensemble Khaleghi as well as the Director of Music Education at the Center for the Preservation of Persian Music. He has performed and collaborated with many of the prominent music ensembles in Iran including Aref and Mowlana and joined Dastan Ensemble in 1992. Hossein Behroozi-Nia has numerous compositions for the Barbat and his recordings include Barbat, Koohestan, Yadestan, Midnight Sun and Dastan Trio. Hossein Behroozi-Nia has played a key role in restoring a Persian musical identity to the instrument which has been under the influence of Arabic music for hundreds of years. (Among the Arabs, the Barbat is referred to as Oud or “Wood”, the instrument which was taken to the Arab world after the advent of Islam in Iran). Hossein Behroozi-Nia currently resides in Vancouver, Canada where he teaches the Barbat.

Said Farajpoory

Said Farajpoory was born in 1961 in Sanandadj, a province of Kordestan in Iran. At the age of thirteen he became a student of Hassan Kamkar. He then studied Radif with Mohammad Reza Lotfi and Hossein Alizadeh. He has been a member of the Orchestra of Art and Culture in Sanandadj and the Sheyda and Aref ensembles. Said Farajpoori teaches Kamancheh at Tchavosh and at the University of Tehran’s Institute of Music. He has performed with many of the prominent Iranian musicians including Faramarz Payvar, Mohammad Reza Shadjarian, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Hossein Alizadeh and Parviz Meshkatian.

He is the founder of the Awat Ensemble which has performed extensively in Iran and abroad. As a soloist and ensemble performer his repertoire includes many works by Iranian composers. He has performed in two Kamancheh concerts as a soloist. Saeed Farajpoori has composed several works for Iranian instruments (Naghshe Pendar) and three compositions in Kurdish music.

Fariborz Kiani

Fariborz Kiani started learning Tombak firstly by himself and later on with one of Iran's leading Tombak players, Morteza Ayan. He studied Daf with Iran's Daf legend Bijan Kamkar. He has participated in numerous concerts throughout the world performing with some of the finest Iranian musicians.

Fariborz Kiani has also worked and performed extensively with internationally acclaimed musicians of other music cultures. He has participated in various festivals including the Rhythm Stick and the Womad. He holds regular percussion workshops in London and has given talks on percussion instruments of Iran at various educational institutions throughout the UK. He is currently teaching Persian percussion as well as leading the Middle Eastern Ensemble as part of the music degree programme at the City University.

In 1995 Fariborz founded the Nava Arts which has since become one of the best known promoters of classical and folk Persian music of the highest standards in the UK.

Hamid Motebassem

Hamid Motebassem was born in 1958 in Mashad. He was raised in a musical family, where his brother was a violinist and his first teacher was his father, Ali Motebassem who played the Tar. His subsequent teachers included the masters Habiballah Salehi, Zeydallah Toloie, Houshang Zarif, Hossein Alizadeh and Mohammad Reza Lotfi. He studied in the Art School of Tehran and Conservatory of Persian Music. He was an original member of Aref Ensemble, and upon immigration to Germany in 1986, he founded the Dastan Ensemble.

Hamid Motebassem is also the founder of the Society of Tar and Setar and has organized annual seminars dedicated to the two instruments. His works include Concerto for Tar, Setar and Traditional Instruments and numerous compositions for traditional instruments and voice. His recordings are Dastan Trio, Bamdad, The Scent of Norooz, Navay-e Darya, Saz-e Now, Avaz-e Now. Hamid Motebassem has a unique style in composition and his instrumental works enjoy a significant renown. He currently lives in Cologne, Germany where he teaches Tar and Setar.

Arash Moradi

Arash Moradi was born in the Kurdish city of Kermanshah in Western Iran. He is the eldest son of Iran's leading Tanbour player Ali Akbar Moradi. Arash started learning this ancient art form from an early age from his father whom he later on accompanied in numerous concerts and festivals throughout Iran and Europe including the Rhythm Stick Festival in London.

Arash lives in London where he teaches Tanbour and runs workshops on Persian music.

Parham Bahadoran

Parham Bahadoran was born in Tehran in 1986. He learned to play the electronic keyboard at the age of five, the classical guitar and piano by the age of 14, and the electric guitar by the age of 17; becoming also familiar with Setar, and drums & percussions in the interim. He has played several performances at an early age in Semnan, and one in Tehran as a student. He is currently part of the London based fusion ensemble Simorgh.

Siavash Fakher

Siavash Fakher started DJing in his teenage years and went on to found the Eclectic Breaks record label with offices in London & North America. He established the first DJ school in 2003 where he trains music producers & DJs. He has been involved with a variety of remixes and production of albums. He is very experimental & pushes the boundaries in modern music.

Arash Fayyazi

Arash Fayyazi started the basics of music by keyboard when he was 4. At the age of 17 he discovered his great passion for Tar, the national instrument of Iran. After moving to the UK he tried to blend his experiences with English folk music. Performances in Global Music Adventures and 12 Mile Island Folk Festival were the result of this. He then established the Delshodeh Ensemble and performed in numerous concerts as composer and Tar player. Currently, as an active Tar player in the Radif Art & Culture Ensemble, he is expanding his knowledge on Iranian music.

Amid Fouladi

Amid Fouladi came to London in 1989. He started the guitar at the age of 15 and performed in a rock band for 3 years in various venues in South London. He has had live performances in Tehran as part of a world Jazz ensemble. At the age of 19 purchased a Barbat and started study of eastern modal music theory. Amin currently plays the Barbat as a member of Simorgh (a London based fusion group), as well as a traditional Persian ensemble. His magic is in producing music from a home hifi & basic computer.

Ali Nourbakhsh

Ali Nourbakhsh grew up in a family where everyone played an Iranian instrument. Ali started to play Daf when he was 13 years old and later on tried Setar and several percussion instruments. Ali has been playing music regularly and he has the experience of playing with a number of Iranian traditional master musicians such as, Davod Azad and Hassan Nahid. He currently a member Simorgh (a London based fusion group), as well as the Radif Art & Culture Ensemble.