JAVS Summer 2021

performed, and recorded outside of Iran, the Iranian identity and the influence from that culture is noticeable within their character and structure. Protest and response to socio-political events in Iran is visible within the use of the female voice in Kamalto and Veiled , and in the programmatic and story-telling qualities of Veiled . The current administration in Iran has placed strict limitations in performing arts, especially for women. Many works with a female voice face challenges in acquiring permission for performances. Inclusion of voice in Veiled is a direct response to these limitations and how they impact the presence of women in Iranian society. Nourbakhsh’s clever inclusion of a pre-recorded female voice allows for more flexibility in performance of the piece in Iran. Juxtaposition of tradition and modernity in these works is reflected through the use of contrasting elements: the combination of modes in Kamalto, explorations in sound and timbre in Song and Whispers, and connecting electronic explorations with Iranian inspired musical elements in Veiled . In works like Kamalto , the blend of tradition and modernity is visible in the composer’s inspiration from Middle Eastern rhythmic structures and his approach in expressing them within a contemporary compositional language. In highlighting these works, my goal is to introduce new and exciting elements from current explorations in Iranian music and to help expand the canon and the scope of the viola repertoire by representing a musical language previously less explored. By performing and researching these works, I hope to not only help expand other violists and audience’s horizons in learning new styles, genres, and a rich musical and cultural heritage, but also to provide an avenue in developing further mutual exchange in cultures, research, and creation of other new pieces. My hope is that this article would also offer an introduction to Iranian contemporary art music and be a helpful resource for violists, educators, and other musicians who are curious about the contemporary repertoire from the Iranian diaspora, its performance practice, and its pedagogical value. I am happy to conclude it by presenting a list of works I have been able to find, commission, or perform within the last few years featuring pieces for solo viola, or viola in a small ensemble (see fig. 2).

Dr. Kimia Hesabi is a performer and teaching artist based in the Washington, D.C. area. She is a leadership team member at District New Music Coalition, where she works to promote the performance and appreciation of contemporary music in the D.C. area, and a co-founder of LyreIran, a collaborative that works to provide music education resources by creating content, organizing online classes, and connecting various music communities access the world.

Bibliography

Church, Michael. The Other Classical Musics: Fifteen Great Traditions. Woodbridge, Suffolk: Boydell Press, 2016. Darvishi, Mohammadreza. Negahi be Gharb. Tehran: Mahoor Publication, 2014. During, Jean. The Art of Persian Music . Washington, D.C.: Mage Publication, 1991. Farhat, Hormoz. The Dastgāh Concept in Persian Music. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Gholami, Mehrdad. “Iranian Contemporary Flute Music: An Analysis of Kouchyar Shahroudi’s Dances Mystiques (2017) and Kiawasch Saheb Nassagh’s Amusie (2018) for flute and piano.” DMA diss., Texas Christian University, 2019. Movahed, Azin. “Religious Supremacy, Anti-Imperialist Nationhood and Persian Musicology after the 1979 Revolution,” Asian Music 35, no. 1 (Autumn, 2003– Winter 2004): 85–113. Nettl, Bruno and Carol M. Babiracki. The Radif of Persian Music: Studies of Structure and Cultural Context in the Classical Music of Iran . Champaign, Ill: Elephant & Cat, 1992. Nooshin, Laudan. Iranian Classical Music: The Discourses and Practice of Creativity . New York: Taylor &Francis, 2016. Nourbakhsh, Niloofar. Zoom interview by author. January 5, 2021. Razaz, Gity. Zoom interview by author. January 10, 2021. Rumi, Jalau ’ din. The Mathnawi of Jalalu’ddin Rumi. Edited by Reynold A Nicholson. London: Luzac, 1925. Tavakol, Showan. Zoom interview by author. January 2, 2021.

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