Houman Dehlavi
Composer · Orchestrator · Pianist · Researcher
"Bridging the rich modal traditions of Persian heritage with the structural and orchestral language of contemporary classical composition."
Houman Dehlavi is an Iranian composer, orchestrator, pianist, and music researcher whose work creates a distinctive artistic voice rooted deeply in two musical worlds. Born into one of Iran's most influential musical families, he received his foundational education from his father, the renowned composer Hossein Dehlavi, before continuing his studies with leading figures such as Ahmad Pejman, Rafael Minaskanian, Emanuel Melik-Aslanian, and Austrian composer Thomas Christian David.
In 1998, Dehlavi ranked first nationwide in Iran's highly competitive entrance examination for the country's inaugural Master's Degree program in Composition at the University of Art in Tehran. Following a graduate thesis that featured a four-movement symphonic work based on Iranian musical materials, he joined the university as a faculty member and lecturer. Over the past three decades, his catalog has expanded to encompass works for symphony orchestra, string orchestra, chamber ensembles, solo instruments, and voice, seamlessly integrating the expressive identity of traditional Iranian instruments into modern classical settings.
At the center of Dehlavi's artistic vision is a vital bridge between centuries of Persian musical heritage and the harmonic, contrapuntal rigors of the Western classical tradition. A central pillar of his work is the expansion of the concert repertoire for Persian instruments: by writing for instruments like the Ney, Qanun, and Shâhkaman within contemporary orchestral and chamber frameworks, he elevates these regional practices into the global classical dialogue. Rather than simply layering Persian melodies over Western chords, his music integrates the modal characteristics of Iranian music directly into classical symphonic forms, producing a unified, organic contemporary language rather than a decorative fusion of the two traditions.
This synthesis extends beyond his own compositions into a sustained act of cultural stewardship. Alongside his original works, Dehlavi has devoted years to preserving the artistic legacy of Hossein Dehlavi, editing, preparing, and publishing his father's scores, and in doing so, actively safeguarding one of the most significant chapters in the history of Iranian contemporary classical music. Reflecting a growing international interest in the synthesis of Persian and Western musical thought, Dehlavi's music has been performed by orchestras, chamber ensembles, and distinguished soloists across Iran, Germany, Austria, Turkey, Canada, and the United States. Beyond composition, his professional life spans university lecturing, music production, artistic consultation for cultural institutions, and adjudicating international composition competitions, positioning him as both a creative voice and an institutional guardian of Iran's contemporary musical identity.
Selected Works & Discography
Symphonic Suite "Pasargadae" in 4 Movements
for full orchestra (2001)
Inspired by Iranian modal systems and classical symphonic formsFantasy for Qanun and Orchestra (2016)
Dream of the Plain for Ney, Harp, and String Orchestra (1996)
Lights and Shadows for Piano and Shâhkaman (2022)
inspired by the paintings of Hamidreza AndarzSeven Skies in 4 Movements for Piano solo (1998)
Inspired by persian Classical music (Dastgāh)
Echoes of the Past for Tanbur and string quartet (2019)
Base on Kurdish maqāmFantasy for Piano and String Orchestra (2006)
