Behzad Ranjbaran
Philadelphians will enjoy music by Iranian-American composer
Behzad Ranjbaran: World-Class Music Composer Inspired by ...
Born 1955 in Tehran, Iran, Ranjbaran entered the Tehran Music Conservatory at the age of nine. He came to the United States in 1974 to attend Indiana University. He received his doctorate in music composition from The Juilliard School and was later named as "Distinguished Artist" by the New Jersey Council on the Arts. He is currently on the faculty of The Juilliard School.
Ranjbaran's music is strongly rooted in the Neo-Romantic movement of the late 20th Century, as well as showing the influence of Iranian and other non-Western music. He has written compositions for, among others, Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, and Yo-Yo Ma, as well a piano concerto for Jean-Yves Thibaudet. Recordings include Persian Trilogy on the Delos label by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta. This orchestral cycle, comprising the works Seven Passages, Seemorgh, and The Blood of Seyavash, takes its inspiration from ancient Persian legends, as recounted in the 11th century epic poem "Shahnameh" (The Book of Kings).
