Archived News
* The New World Symphony, performed the U.S. premiere of Behzad
Ranjbaran's "Awakening" in Miami, Florida on Septmebr 15, 2007,
conducted by Joel Smirnoff. "Awakening" was commissioned and premiered
by International Sejong Soloists in Korea's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in
2005. "Awakening" for String Orchestra, a reflection of war and peace
is in one movement. The main five-note motif of "Awakening" is used to
construct an "Arc de Triomphe" in music, visually crating a symbolic
gesture to represent the triumph of peace over conflict.
*
Paul Tobias performed Ranjbaran's Cello Concerto with Mansfield Symphony
with Conductor Robert Frantz, on September 29, 2007 in Mansfield, Ohio.
Paul Tobias premiered Ranjbaran's cello concerto and recorded it with
Virginia Symphony in 2000.
* Renée Fleming performed "Songs of
Eternity" on March 6, 2007 at Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra's Gala
concert. "Songs of Eternity" was written for Renée Fleming and was
premiered by her with the Seattle Symphony under the baton of Gerard
Schwarz in 2002.
* "Isfahan" was premiered by Philadelphia
Chamber Ensemble on March 23, 25, 2007, in Philadelphia. It was
commissioned in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ensemble.
*
Seven Passages, part of Persian Trilogy, was performed on November
& December 2006 by Buffalo Philharmonic and Reading Symphony
Orchestra, conducted by Robert Franz.
* Paul Tobias performs
Ranjbaran's Elegy for cello & piano on a faculty recital in Mannes
College in New York. Elegy is the second movement of Ranjbaran's Cello
Concerto which Mr. Tobias originally commissioned and recorded in 2000.
The recital was scheduled for October 11, 2006.
*
Shiraz, for violin, cello and piano was premiered in New York City from
August 31 through September 3, 2006. Commissioned by Bargemusic to
inaugurate its new season, the new work was inspired by the city of
Shiraz, famous for its poets, jasmine, rose gardens and wine. Shiraz
was premiered by Mark Peskanov, violin, Edward Aaron, cello, and Olga
Vinokur, piano.
* Allan Kay and the American Dream Chamber
Players premiered Ranjbaran's Elegy for clarinet, English horn, harp
and strings in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on June 4, 2006.
*
William Harvey and the Juilliard Orchestra under the direction of
Gerard Schwarz performed the New York premiere of Ranjbaran's violin
Concerto in Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on April 10, 2006.
Ranjbaran's violin concerto was selected by the violin faculty at the
Juilliard School as the 2006 violin concerto competition for the
school's Centennial Celebration. READ RANJBARAN'S INTERVIEW IN JUILLIARD JOURNAL.
*
On September 17, 2005, Yo-Yo Ma performed Ranjbaran's Elegy for Cello
and Orchestra (Second movement of his Cello Concerto) at the Buffalo
Philharmonic's opening night gala with JoAnn Falletta conducting.
*
Chantal Juillet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, under the baton of
Charles Dutoit, performed the Ranjbaran's Violin Concerto in Saratoga
Performing Arts Center (SPAC) on August 20, 2005.
*
Ranjbaran's Piano Quintet received its world premiere on August 14,
2005. This work was written on a commission from Saratoga Chamber Music
Festival as part of his summer residency with the Saratoga Performing
Arts Center, New York.
* The Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted
by Charles Dutoit premiered "Saratoga", Ranjbaran's new orchestral
work, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of SPAC on August 10,
2005.
* On August 5, 2005, International Sejong
Soloists gave the world premiere of Ranjbaran's commissioned string
orchestra piece, "Awakening", at the opening concert of the Great
Mountains Music Festival in South Korea. On August 3rd, 2005, an
excerpt of the piece was performed in the Demilitarized Zone as part of
a peace festival. This event was broadcast by the Korean Broadcast
Corporation.
* On July 29 and 31, 2005, Cantieri
Internazionale D'Arte in Montepulciano, Italy, offered the Italian
premiere of Ranjbaran's "Dance of Life" and "Open Secret".
*
On March 31, 2005, Joshua Bell gave the American premiere of
Ranjbaran's Violin Voncerto with Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Mario Venzago. The following week, Joshua Bell performed
the Canadian premiere of the concerto with the Toronto Symphony
conducted by Peter Oundjian.