JAVS Summer 2021

controlled the practice of all types of music and performing arts in general, not just arts influenced by the West. As a result of the revolution, the Tehran Symphony Orchestra (and almost all other ensembles, orchestras, etc.) took a hiatus and for several years; the only genre of music practiced and performed in Iran was revolutionary songs or revolution-inspired music. 4 The past decade in Iran has been an era of new beginnings and globalization, shepherding in new waves of composers, performers, and music educators. Especially due to the increased use and accessibility of internet and social media, those within Iran and the Iranian diaspora have been able to (re)connect and create a new, thriving chapter of Iranian music. In contrast to the government’s introduction of Western art music, the debates surrounding institutions and musical forms, and the 1979 Revolution, this new era of Iranian music is driven from the bottom-up, fueled by organic, meaningful connections between composers, performers, producers, and educators. This recent movement led to the establishment of several organizations such as the Iranian Orchestra for New Music (1995), Tehran Contemporary Music Festival (2016), and the Iranian Female Composers Association (2017), as well as countless new works for a variety of ensembles and instrumentations. Inspired by and part of this new chapter of music in my country and community, I am so happy to have a role in the creation of new works for viola, and to share these works with the viola community. This project aligns with the current musical and cultural movement to have a more equitable representation in our performance repertoires. In sharing these pieces, my goals are to foster recognition and respect for the often unrecognized elements that influence what we call “Western art music” and to provide a practical resource for performance and interpretation.

Song and Whispers ) or presented the American premiere ( Kamalto ), and I’ve selected them because of the strong artistic connection I have had in the process of their creation, the meaningful collaboration I have experienced with their composers, and the variety of styles they present. Additionally, these works have great pedagogical value, offering a variety of educational performance techniques and programmatic qualities. They provide a representation of Iranian culture through the use of various musical elements and are examples of some of the current trends in contemporary music of the Iranian diaspora. Veiled for viola and electronics (2019), composed by Niloufar Nourbakhsh (b. 1989) originally for cello (commissioned by Amanda Gookin), was arranged by the composer for viola. 5 According to Nourbakhsh, Veiled was inspired by two specific subjects: the hijab and the “veiled” presence of women in Iran. One is the obligatory hijab for women in Iran and the concept of being “veiled” as a result. The covered hair is a metaphor in general for women’s presence in the society. I thought about women’s voices, and them not being able to sing freely in Iran due to conservative cleric rules from the government, and other limitations women face in the country. On the other hand, I used the meaning and concept of “veiled” in creating sounds from the instrument that “dissolve” or are “covered” in various ways. 6 In 2017, a series of protests known as the Girls of Enghelab Street (Revolution Street) movement took place against the compulsory hijab for women in Iran. Nourbakhsh recalls being moved by this event and the tragedy and violence it provoked, and was motivated to center Veiled on it. 7 Veiled includes both live and pre-recorded electronics. To perform it, one needs various equipment including a contact mic, a device connected to Max/MSP software, speakers to hear pre-recorded sounds and electronics, and a pedal to activate the Max built-in cues. The live electronics are created and sent to Max through the contact mic and the pre-recorded electronic track Veiled by Niloufar Nourbakhsh

Selected Viola Repertoire from the Iranian Diaspora

The works highlighted here create a conversation about cross-cultural influences, socio-political connections to music, and the blend of identities within cultures. These are works that I have commissioned ( Veiled and

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

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