Mashayekhi works return to Tehran stage after seven years
Three works by Iranian composer Alireza Mashayekhi received their first performances in Tehran on November 5, 2026, as his music returned to the Iranian stage after a seven-year absence.
The concert, titled “New Music in Iran”, was held in two parts at Vahdat Hall in central Tehran.
It was organized by the Tehran Music Group, founded in 1993 by Mashayekhi and pianist Farimah Ghavam-Sadri to promote contemporary music and support composers and performers.
The program featured the Persian Gulf String Orchestra, the Namad String Quartet and the Karvan Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of conductor Arash Amini. Violinist and violist Amin Ghafari performed as a soloist in several pieces.
The three premieres were “Second Pichak”, for two recorders, cello and percussion; “String Quartet No. 6: Reverse Accident”, for string quartet and percussion; and a concerto for viola, string orchestra and percussion.
Other works included “The Sea: Iranian Suite for String Orchestra”, “String Quartet No. 4” and “Violin Concerto No. 2”, representing different periods of Mashayekhi’s career.
Born in Tehran in 1939, Mashayekhi is regarded as a pioneer of modern music in Iran. He was among the country’s first composers to write electronic music and has explored multicultural approaches by bringing together musical traditions from different cultures.
The Tehran Music Group was established to introduce new music in Iran and promote education and performance in the field. The concert renewed attention to Mashayekhi’s contribution to contemporary Iranian music and the continued presentation of his works to new audiences.