Nov 15, 2025, 8:17 AM

Iranian woman leads national orchestra for first time

Iranian woman leads national orchestra for first time

TEHRAN, Nov. 15 (MNA) – Tehran’s Vahdat Hall has become the stage for a noteworthy cultural moment: the Tehran Symphony Orchestra performed the project “Land of Simorgh,” led for the first time by a woman conductor, Paniz Faryousefi.

Presented by the Roudaki Foundation, the performances brought together an extensive lineup of musicians and featured violinist Pedram Faryousefi as soloist. The program opened with Sibelius Impromptu Op.5 for string ensemble, followed by works from contemporary Iranian composers Golfam Khayam and Aftab Darvishi. The orchestra performed Khayam’s Simorgh and Zamzemeh, before Pedram Faryousefi joined the ensemble for Darvishi’s composition Diyar.

Iranian woman leads national orchestra for first time

The second half of the concert expanded to the full orchestra with Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 Unfinished in B minor, presenting its two movements, Allegro moderato and Andante con moto. The evening concluded on a high-spirited note with the Sabre Dance from Aram Khachaturian ballet Gayane.

At the end of the performance, Paniz Faryousefi dedicated the concert to the women and mothers of Iran, and especially to her own mother.

Iranian woman leads national orchestra for first time

On the second night, the Roudaki Foundation presented commendation plaques to Paniz Faryousefi, Aftab Darvishi, and Golfam Khayam.

The concert drew an audience of prominent Iranian artists, musicians, and cultural figures, including Mohammadreza Darvishi, Farimah Ghavam-Sadri, Kiavash Saheb Nasagh, Shala Milani, and representatives from Iran’s Ministry of Culture and the Roudaki Foundation, among many others.

The performances brought together a large roster of instrumentalists across strings, winds, brass, percussion, and harp, reflecting the scale of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and the collaborative nature of the “Land of Simorgh” project.

MNA/6655354

News ID 238765

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