‘Time’s Bell’ offers multidimensional experience through classical music, visuals
The ‘Time’s Bell’ performance offers a multidimensional experience, blending classical music and visual design to engage the audience with a fresh encounter of sound, image, and concept, said the female conductor of the concert Paniz Faryousefi.
Regarding the design and concept delivery in the concert, Faryousefi said, auditory and visual elements are designed side by side to create a multifaceted experience for the audience, IRNA reported.
Beyond classical music, which has always been the core of concerts, images are also displayed simultaneously with the performance, enhancing the auditory experience, she explained.
The performance could be an effective step towards strengthening the presence of women in orchestra leadership.
Faryousefi, noting the intangible nature of women’s orchestra leadership in Iran’s music, added that other powerful women have conducted orchestras in Iran before me, but still there are challenges in our society.
She further elaborated that the difference might initially seem unfamiliar or even unpleasant to some, but “I hope, with time and artistic growth, gender biases in this field will diminish.”
“Every performance, depending on the repertoire, presents specific technical challenges in conducting the orchestra, and it’s this journey towards achieving excellence that makes the process more appealing for me and the musicians,” she said.
In this concert, accompanied by the ‘Dialogue’ orchestra, a collection of pieces by classical and contemporary composers is performed, aiming to create an artistic challenge for both musicians and audiences.
One of the main pieces on the program is ‘Divertimento’ by Béla Bartók, a work that demands deep thought, exploration, and discovery from both the conductor and musicians.
Faryousefi said this challenge is essential for the musicians, and the impact of this piece on the audience is truly astonishing.
Alongside this complex piece, other compositions will also be performed to maintain a balanced auditory experience throughout the program.
Rehearsals of the performance, she said, were accompanied by numerous technical challenges, but the orchestra members persevered and achieved a satisfactory result.
On the other side, private orchestras often face financial struggles, and the support from the Rudaki Foundation has been significant in this regard.
Regarding her future plans, Faryousefi said, following the successful performance of ‘Time’s Bell’, new repertoires with different combinations are in the pipeline, aimed to offer fresh artistic experiences to the audience.
The performance could positively influence the presence of women in orchestra leadership, she said, adding that art transcends gender, and what matters is the content and quality of the work.
The ‘Time’s Bell’ concert was held on January 5, with the ‘Dialogue’ orchestra, led by Paniz Faryousefi, featuring works by renowned classical music composers worldwide, including Jean Sibelius, Edward Mizoryan, Béla Bartók, Shin Ichiro Yokoyama, Georges Bizet, Arvo Pärt, Aram Khachaturian, Gioachino Rossini, and Johannes Brahms.
The concert is scheduled to be staged again at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on January 19 and 20.