A lunchtime concert of diverse music by contemporary composers of Iranian heritage, performed by four UK-based musicians: Mahdis Golzar Kashani (piano), Mahya Mahroomi (piano), Niki Moosavi (cello) and Saba Safa (violin).
Admission
This event is now fully booked. Returns may be available on the door, shortly before the concert begins.
About the Concert
Since the early 20th century, Iranian composers trained in both Iranian and western classical music have been creating pieces that draw on multiple musical heritages, including the very diverse regional musics of Iran.
In recent decades, this work has become better known outside Iran, not least through the growing number of Iranian composers working in Europe and North America. In particular, there has been a notable increase in the number of female identifying composers, whose work has also featured at festivals such as the BBC Proms and been promoted by organisations such as the Iranian Female Composers Association (IFCA).
In this concert, we showcase the music of seven contemporary Iranian composers based in the UK, Germany, Iran and the US, including established figures such as Reza Vali and newly emergent ‘voices’ such as Atefeh Einali and Mahdis Golzar Kashani, who are also both members of IFCA.
The pieces will be performed by four UK-based musicians: Mahdis Golzar Kashani (piano), Mahya Mahroomi (piano), Niki Moosavi (cello) and Saba Safa (violin).
Please join us for this celebration of music by Iranian composers!
Programme
- Mahdis Golzar Kashani, Persian Frame No. III
- Rebecca Ashooghian, April Image
- Safa Shahidi, Azerbaijan
- Reza Vali - Calligraphy No.5
- Mohammad Ali Salahi, Fundamental Theorem
- Atefeh Einali, The Voice
- Kian Soltani, Persian Fire Dance
- Mahdis Golzar Kashani, Cat's Suffering
About the Musicians
Mahya Mahroomi is a Master's graduate from the University of Chichester, a concert and studio pianist, and a piano teacher. Born in 1999 in Iran, she has excelled in national and international festivals, winning 1st prize at the 13th National Festival of Youth in Tehran and the Romantic Repertoire category at the Coulsdon and Purley Festival in London in 2024. Her work currently centres on contemporary Iranian music, globally showcasing Persian melodies and elements as well as the classical repertoire. Dedicated to amplifying composers’ voices, she is preparing an album featuring works by an Iranian composer, due for release in 2025.
Cellist Niki Moosavi is an avid chamber and orchestral musician with a passion for making classical music more accessible. She is the founder of ‘97 Ensemble’, a chamber group aiming to raise awareness that 97% of women in the UK aged 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment. The group champions works by women composers and gives performances at women and children’s refuges in addition to public performances at venues such as the Elgar Room, St James’s Piccadilly and Fidelio Café. Niki regularly performs with the Chineke! Orchestra, highlights of which have included concerts at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Niki studied at the Royal College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Specializing in violin, kamancheh, and orchestral conducting, Saba Safa has over 15 years of experience performing across the UK, France and Iran. A full scholarship recipient, she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music performance from Chichester University. As a violinist, leader and soloist, Saba has collaborated with various ensembles including the Hanover Band and has toured the UK with the Moscow City Ballet. She also trained as a conductor at the Royal Academy of Music under the guidance of Sian Edwards. Saba has been privileged to collaborate with composer Susannah Self to premiere a new work for solo violin and orchestra. She is also in receipt of a Global Talent endorsement by Arts Council England.
Mahdis Golzar Kashani was born in Tehran and began her musical journey at the age of six when she started piano lessons. She gave her first solo concert at the Seda va Sima University in Tehran at the age of 14. Mahdis pursued her academic studies in music, earning a Master’s degree in composition from Sooreh Art University in Tehran. Mahdis has performed at venues including the Roudaki Hall and Niavaran Cultural Centre in Tehran, Bozar in Brussels the Kennedy Centre and the National Sawdust Hall. She has also participated in a number of international festivals, such as the Heidelberg Festival and the Oxford International Song Festival. Mahdis has collaborated with a number of prominent ensembles, including the Hypercube Ensemble, Sitkovetsky Trio, Haft Craft Ensemble, Wood Work Reed Ensemble and Babylon Orchestra. Her compositions have won prizes at prestigious international composition competitions such as the Theodor Front Prize (IAWM, 2015) and Contempo Opera (2023).
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Performance Space
Northampton Square
College Building
280 St John St
London EC1V 4PB
United Kingdom