Golnuš Xâleqi (6 January 1941 – 14 February 2021; گلنوش خالقی) was a
Persian-American
Iranian Americans are United States citizens or nationals who are of Iranian ancestry or who hold Iranian citizenship.
Iranian Americans are among the most highly educated people in the United States. They have historically excelled in busine ...
musician and conductor. She was the first Persian woman conductor.
Xâleqi was born in
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
and studied at the Persian National Music Conservatory, Mozarteum Salzburg and the University of Wisconsin.
From 1975 to 1979 she was the conductor of National Iranian Radio & Television Choir, known as "Hamâvazân". Shortly after the 1979 Revolution she moved to the United States. In 1985 she founded Ruhollâh Xâleqi Orchestra to preserve Persian music in the United States. The orchestra's activities was halted in 1990 due to financial difficulties.
Golnuš Xâleqi died in Washington, D.C., United States on 15 February 2021. She was 80. Xâleqi is survived by her husband, American organist Stephen Ackert and two sons, Râmin (David) and Julian.
Works
Compositions:
* Azadi (Freedom) Anthem (1979) for choir. Text:
Fereydoun Moshiri
Fereydoon Moshiri ( fa, فریدون مشیری; September 21, 1926 – October 24, 2000) was one of the prominent contemporary Persian poets who wrote poems in both modern and classic styles of the Persian poem.
A selection of his poems has been ...
* Concerto for Santur and Orchestra (1988)
* Piano works based on Persian folk music and melodies by Darvish-Khan, Morteza Neydavood, etc.
Arrangements:
* Mey-e Naab / Pure Wine (1991), Arrangements of Rouhollah Khaleghi's works for voice, choir and orchestra.
Books:
* "Ey Iran: Memorial volume of Ruhollāh Khāleqi". Mahoor Institute, Tehran, 2006.
* "Rouhollah Khaleghi's Compositions & Arrangements". Mahoor Institute, Tehran, 2019.
References
External links
An Interview with Golnoush Khaleghi: BBC Persian TV(with English subtitles)
Iranian women musicians
1941 births
2021 deaths
Musicians from Tehran
Iranian emigrants to the United States
{{Iran-musician-stub