Listen to a sound clip of We Are One (You will be redirected to the composer’s website.)

Born in 1955 in Tehran, Iran, Behzad Ranjbaran is the recipient of the Rudolf Nissim Award for his Violin Concerto.  His musical education started early when he entered the Tehran Music Conservatory at the age of nine.  He came to the United States in 1974 to attend Indiana University and received his doctorate in composition from The Juilliard School, where he currently serves on the faculty.   Named a “Distinguished Artist” by the New Jersey Council on the Arts, Mr. Ranjbaran’s honors also include a National Endowment for the Arts grant, a grant from Meet the Composer (composer/choreographer project), and a Charles Ives Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Mr. Ranjbaran’s music has been described variously as having “qualities of inherent beauty and strong musical structure that make it a satisfying musical entity” (Nashville Scene), “a master of the orchestra” (Dallas Morning News), and “radiant luminescence” (The Washington Post). Accolades continue for Songs of Eternity, described in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as “…enchanting … the piece wielded a peculiar, timeless magic…”; and the Liverpool Echo commented that the Violin Concerto is “high class, cohesive” and “when the concerto…just sings out a fine melodic line, the effect is ravishing.”  In describing the “Persian Trilogy” CD, American Record Guide said that “Ranjbaran has composed a noble and brilliantly conceived score, spectacularly orchestrated and filled with memorable tunes, meticulous development, and impressive craftsmanship.”

The 2010-2011 season highlights for Mr. Ranjbaran, include a performance of his Piano Concerto by Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Robert Spano, the New Jersey premiere of Seemorgh by the New Jersey Symphony under Jacques Lacombe, the New York premiere of We Are One,  for a cappella choir, by Musica Sacra, and the release of an all-Ranjbaran album of string music on Naxos, including Awakening, String Quartet, Elegy, and more.

Behzad Ranjbaran’s music has been performed in recent seasons by soloists Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, and Yo-Yo Ma, among others.  During the 2009-10 season two commissioned works were premiered: Concerto for violin and viola by Virginia Symphony, conducted by JoAnn Falletta, and Mithra by Santa Rosa Symphony, Bruno Ferrandis, conductor. In June 2008, Jean-Yves Thibaudet premiered his piano concerto, commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony, conducted by Robert Spano.  Songs of Eternity on the Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyam, written for soprano Renée Fleming, was premiered with the Seattle Symphony under the direction of Gerard Schwarz. Joshua Bell was the soloist in the premiere performances of the Violin Concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, also conducted by Schwarz.  Mr. Bell went on to give the work’s North American premiere with the Indianapolis Symphony, conducted by Mario Venzago, and subsequent performances with Peter Oundjian and the Toronto Symphony.   International Sejong Soloists commissioned Awakening for premiere at the Great Mountains Music Festival in South Korea as a celebration of peace.

Recordings include the Persian Trilogy on the Delos label by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by JoAnn Falletta.  This orchestral cycle, comprising the works Seven Passages, Seemorgh, and The Blood of Seyavash, takes its inspiration from ancient Persian legends, as recounted in the 11th century epic poem “Shahnameh” (The Book of Kings).   In August 2008, Toronto Symphony Orchestra performed a multimedia performance of Persian Trilogy with traditional storytelling (Naghali) and projections of tens of Persian miniatures. Ms. Falletta has also conducted Elegy for Cello and Orchestra with soloist Yo-Yo Ma and the Buffalo Philharmonic, reviewed in the Buffalo press as “ethereal…fragile, almost like a mirage.”

In recent seasons, three chamber works were premiered: Fountains of Fin, a eulogy for Amir Kabir, the 19th century slain Iranian vezir, Shiraz and Isfahan celebrating two of Mr. Ranjbaran’s favorite cities in Iran. In 2008-9 season, Ranjbaran was the composer-in-residence with the Fort Worth Symphony where three of his works were performed during the subscription concerts. In the summer of 2005, Mr. Ranjbaran was composer-in-residence for the 40th anniversary of the Saratoga Music Festival.   In celebration of the occasion, he composed the orchestral overture Saratoga, which was premiered by Charles Dutoit and the Philadelphia Orchestra.   The festival also saw the premiere of his Piano Quintet and performances of many of Mr. Ranjbaran’s chamber works; in addition, Chantal Juillet was the soloist in a performance of the Violin Concerto with Dutoit and the Philadelphia Orchestra. For more information, visit www.behzadranjbaran.com.

About We Are One:

Behzad Ranjbaran has set the words of beloved Persian poet Sa’di in We are One. The text of We Are One was chosen to be included in the Voyager spacecraft as the sole representation of the poet’s native Iran, and its beautiful text illustrates the bond of humanity and the importance of empathy for others.

One of the greatest and most beloved poets in Persian literature, Sa’di (c.1213–c.1291) is known for his depth of thinking, and his writings illustrating the human condition with perception and understanding, as well as humor and irony. Born and raised in Shiraz, he sought to raise himself out of poverty by going to Baghdad to study at the famed Nezamiyeh College, renowned throughout the Islamic world for the quality of its teaching and learning. The Mongol invasion of the region caused him to lead a peripatetic life for 30 years, during which he traveled extensively in the Middle East, North Africa, India, and Central Asia, where he met a large cross-section of people of all economic and intellectual levels. His observations and experiences became a fertile source of inspiration for his writing. He was forced to work in the trenches of the Tripoli fortress after being captured by the Franks. After finally escaping, Sa’di made his way back to Shiraz in his final years, where he was welcomed as a highly respected thinker and writer, and he lived out his days in relative peace.

His most famous works are Bustan (“The Orchard”) and Gulistan (“The Rose Garden”). The Bustan is an epic in verse extolling human virtues through various stories; and the Gulistan is more of a collection of personal anecdotes and poems.