JAVS Summer 2021

Feature Article

Viola Repertoire from the Iranian Diaspora By Kimia Hesabi

When I moved to the USA in 2014, I did not imagine I would one day perform complete programs of compositions by Iranian composers on viola. Despite being born and living in Iran through my undergraduate career, I never knew about works written by Iranian composers and my exposure to Iranian contemporary music was limited. In the USA though, I was asked by colleagues, teachers, and fellow violists about the music of my country and about works written for viola. I was shocked and a bit embarrassed at how little I knew about this repertoire. My initial research yielded only a few, little-known works, so I set out to discover as many works as possible—however obscure they were—and even to commission some new pieces. The journey of finding new works and collaborating with composers in the past three years led to the performance and recording of several pieces with a variety of instrumentations and styles. 1 From this project, I have selected three works to discuss here: Veiled for viola and electronics by Niloufar Nourbakhsh, Song and Whispers for solo viola by Gity Razaz, and Kamalto for viola and voice by Showan Tavakol. Through the discussion of these pieces, I introduce a rich musical heritage, incorporate new perspectives into the viola performance repertoire, and provide a resource for performance practice, musical interpretation, and further research for contemporary viola repertoire from the Iranian diaspora.

Iran. The very introduction of Western art music as well as other events, most notably the 1979 Revolution, have strongly influenced the presence, practice, and reception of Western-inspired music in Iran. Western art music was first introduced in Iran in the 1870s, when Iran was ruled by the Qajar dynasty (1785–1925). During the reign of Naser al-Din Shah (1831–1896), who visited France during his rule, the government invited French musicians to Iran as cultural missionaries to train and educate the military bands to organize events, ceremonies, and receptions at the court. 2 This invitation and training process eventually led to the establishment of the first conservatories, universities, orchestras, and compositions that resembled Western musical practice. Once these institutions were established, internal debates formed amongst musicians during the early twentieth century about the practice of Western classical music in Iran, specifically regarding the approach to composition and music education. The debating musicians fell into two main groups: those who used Iranian traditional modes and instruments within Western forms and genres, and others who preferred to perform Western compositions, reproduce Western forms and genres, and to promote the introduction of Western art music to a public audience in Iran via ensembles and other institutions modeled after those in the West. For decades, these debates shaped the practice of Western-inspired music in Iran, and created a complex music scene in the country. 3 The 1979 Revolution created a new era in which all musicians and artists—no matter genre, background, or style—faced discouragement, limitations, and strict rules from the government. The new theocratic government

Western Art Music in Iran

The complicated history of Iran and the West has inherently influenced Iran’s relationship with Western art music. The already complex nature of cultural exchange and influence is made more complicated due to the recurring influence of Iranian politics and government intervention(s) on the use of Western art music within

Journal of the American Viola Society / Vol. 37, 2021 Online Issue

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