Dr. Shahab Paranj (

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

شهاب پارنج) (born 1983,

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 ...

) is an Iranian-born composer and instrumentalist based in Los Angeles. He is considered as one of the pioneers among his generation of composers whose composition style integrates Persian and Western composition techniques. Known as a

tombak The ''tombak'' (Persian: تمبک), ''tonbak'' (تنبک), or ''zarb'' (ضَرب) is an Iranian goblet drum. It is considered the principal percussion instrument of Persian music. The tombak is normally positioned diagonally across the torso w ...

virtuoso, he has performed, recorded and collaborated with numerous world-class artists and has performed in many festivals and venues throughout the world.

Education

Paranj received his first BM in

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

performance from the Tehran School of Music and a second

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in classical composition from

San Francisco Conservatory of Music The San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) is a private music conservatory in San Francisco, California. As of 2021, it had 480 students. History The San Francisco Conservatory of Music was founded in 1917 by Ada Clement and Lillian Hodgh ...

, a

Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

from

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

and his

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is a ...

at the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...

, under the tutelage of David Garner,

Richard Danielpour Richard Danielpour (born January 28, 1956) is an American composer. Early life Danielpour was born in New York City of Persian Jewish descent and grew up in New York City and West Palm Beach, Florida. He studied at Oberlin College and the New En ...

, Ian Krouse and David Lefkowitz.

Career

Acclaimed by ''

The San Francisco Examiner The ''San Francisco Examiner'' is a newspaper distributed in and around San Francisco, California, and published since 1863. Once self-dubbed the "Monarch of the Dailies" by then-owner William Randolph Hearst, and flagship of the Hearst Corporat ...

'' as "impressive", and by

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

as "unique", Paranj blends Persian rhythmic and melodic influences with Western texture and form. Recent commissions include works for ensembles such as the Aleron Trio, San Francisco New Music Ensemble, One Great City Duo, MSM symphony orchestra, International Low Brass Trio, Russian String Orchestra and Intersection Contemporary Music Ensemble. He has written the original score for the movie

Dressage (film) Dressage ( fa, درساژ) is a 2018 Iranian coming-of-age thriller drama film directed by Pooya Badkoobeh. The film tells the story of a 16-year-old girl and her problems and reflects social divisions within contemporary Iranian society and ind ...

, the winner of 2018 feature film in the "Generation" section of the

Berlin Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festi ...

. Paranj is known for championing

classical music and culture throughout the world. His style blends Persian rhythmic and melodic influences with Western texture and form. A cellist and master of the

, he has played on more than 40 albums with musicians all over the world, appearing at more than 100 well known festivals and venues, such as

Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...

in New York,

Théâtre de la Ville (meaning the City Theatre) is one of the two theatres built in the 19th century by Baron Haussmann at Place du Châtelet, Paris, the other being the Théâtre du Châtelet. It is located at 2, place du Châtelet in the 4th arrondissement. Inc ...

in Paris,

Davies Symphony Hall Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall is the concert hall component of the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, California. The 2,743-seat hall was completed in 1980 at a cost of US$28 million to give the San Francisco ...

in San Francisco. He has collaborated with ensembles such as

Shamss Ensemble The Shamss Ensemble is a musical group that performs traditional Sufi and classical Iranian music with the Tanbour, Daf (frame drum), Ney and various other percussion instruments. The group was founded by composer Kaykhosro Pournazeri. His sons ...

and soloists such as Persian master

Mohammad-Reza Shajarian Mohammad-Reza Shajarian ( fa, محمدرضا شجريان; , 23 September 1940 – 8 October 2020) was an Iranian singer and master (''Ostad'') of Persian traditional music. He was also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy and humanitaria ...

. Other accomplishments include film scores for independent film companies and a collaboration with artist

Taraneh Hemami Taraneh Hemami ( Persian: ) (born 1960, in Tehran, Iran) is an Iranian-born American visual artist, curator, and arts educator based in San Francisco. Her works explore the complex cultural politics of exile through personal and collective, multid ...

and Arash Fayez.

List of works

* (2019) Lost in Lut for string orchestra, commissioned by Russian String Orchestra * (2018) Bigáh for solo piano * (2017) The Dialogue for percussion ensemble * (2017) Original score for movie "DRESSAGE" * (2017) Avaz-e Jan for solo cello * (2016) The Autumn of Norooz, for orchestra * (2016) String Quartet No. 2 * (2015) Dawar-e Charkh, guitar duo, commissioned by Sopraduo * (2015) Elegy, for solo violin commissioned by Solenn Seguillon * (2014) ''The Unattained'' * (2013) ''Molten Brass'', commissioned by ILBT * (2013) Piano trio No. 1, commissioned by Aleron Trio * (2013) Resistance collaboration with Taraneh Hemami * (2012) Raghs-e Lang, for percussion ensemble * (2010) String quartet No. 1 * (2012) Fantasy for new music ensemble' * (2011) Shoor for solo viola * (2010) Shade for solo viola

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Paranj, Shahab Living people 1983 births Iranian composers Manhattan School of Music alumni