Composer Ahmad Pejman, first Iranian to write for opera, dies at 90
Ahmad Pejman, the pioneering Iranian composer who became the first in his country to write operas, died on Friday in Los Angeles at the age of 90, according to a statement on his official social media page.
Pejman was celebrated as a leading figure of contemporary Iranian music, blending Western classical traditions with Persian motifs, ISNA reported.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, he wrote symphonies, ballets, rhapsodies, oratorios, film scores and operas that placed him at the forefront of Iran’s modern cultural life. His works were performed both in Tehran and by international orchestras abroad.
Born on July 10, 1935, in the southern Iranian city of Lar, Pejman studied violin in his teenage years with conductor Heshmat Sanjari and learned theory under composer Hossein Naseri. A scholarship in 1964 took him to the Vienna Academy of Music, where he trained with Austrian masters before returning to Tehran as a composer for Roudaki Hall and professor at the University of Tehran.
It was during this period that he composed landmark operas such as ‘The Farmer’s Celebration,’ ‘The Hero of Sahand’ and ‘The Phoenix.’
“He was a trailblazer,” said one Tehran critic, noting his ability to fuse Iranian themes with classical forms.
In 1975, Pejman moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate at Columbia University in New York, studying with American and European composers including Vladimir Ussachevsky and Jack Beeson. He later settled in Los Angeles, continuing to compose and research.
Beyond the concert hall, he left his mark on Iranian cinema, writing memorable scores for films by directors such as Bahman Farmanara and Majid Majidi. His achievements earned him two Crystal Simorgh awards at the Fajr Film Festival and four golden statuettes at Iran’s annual film celebration.
Critics often described Pejman’s style as a “fusion” of Iranian folk melodies and classical counterpoint. In later years he also wrote in popular forms, expanding his audience at home and abroad.