Highlighting persecution under Iran’s regime and inspiring stories of resilience in its face, since 2012 Crossing Borders Music has shared the music and stories of Bahá’í composers from Iran through this unique program. The program honors the fervent hopes of the Iranian Bahá’í members of the CBM community that their stories of resilience be shared globally, especially with non-Bahá’ís. As composer Parisa Sabet says, “the only fact that there are people in the other part of the world who realize what Baha’i students in Iran have been going through, and are willing to share it with others, means all those years of hopeless efforts and frustration [studying music under persecution in Iran] was worth it.”
As part of Iran’s systematic persecution of members of the Bahá’í religion, Bahá’ís are banned from attending college or university. In response, Iranian Bahá’ís and their supporters founded the Bahá’í Institute for Higher Education, a grassroots school that holds classes in living rooms. At this school, despite government raids and faculty imprisonment and disappearance, these brave musicians learned and taught music. This program shares their inspiring music and stories.
Over the past decade, composer Badie Khaleghian wrote the piece “Hope” for Crossing Borders Music, and composer Farid Javidan wrote the piece “Hamun.” The program also includes “When the Roses Laugh in Full-Blown Beauty” by Parisa Sabet, Nikan Milani’s Piano Trio, and Safa Shahidi’s “Persian Dreams,” specially arranged for Crossing Borders Music by Safa.
Crossing Borders Music celebrates the resilience of Iranian Bahá’í composers, including Nikan Milani, Parisa Sabet, Safa Shahidi, and Farid Javidan.
Next: Nikan Milani
Celebrating Resilience musicians in rehearsal