TEHRAN-The musical piece “Persian Echoes” by Iranian composer Amir Mahyar Tafreshipour will be performed by Mariinsky Theater Orchestra in St. Petersburg, Russia, on September 26.

The Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theater eagerly anticipates Ali Rahbari's return as the conductor for his nineteenth performance on the stage. The program is a testament to Rahbari’s signature fusion of European classical masterpieces with the vibrant spirit of Eastern musical traditions.

The evening commences with a sonic odyssey to Persia, as Tafreshipour’s mesmerizing “Persian Echoes” takes the spotlight. Composed in 2005, this work holds a special place in Iranian music history as the first-ever harp concerto. 

Inspired by the ancient rock carvings of Kermanshah, this composition artfully blends European compositional techniques with Persian rhythms and modes, allowing ample room for improvisation. Maestro Rahbari, a longtime champion of this piece, is poised to unveil its full evocative power.

Tafreshipour is a leading Iranian contemporary composer. He specializes in modern music that reaches across time and continents and has worked with several major ensembles, soloists, and orchestras.

In 2003 he won the first prize at the biennial composition competition for new music at Tehran University with his solo piano work “Images of Childhood” and in the same year, he was awarded a silver medal for outstanding achievement at Trinity College of Music.

He studied piano and composition at the Esbjerg Academy of Music, Trinity College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and in 2016 he completed his Ph.D. in composition at Brunel University, London.

After singer Reza Fekri and violinist Amin Ghaffari, Tafreshipour is the third Iranian artist to be invited by Ali Rahbari to the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra.

SS/SAB