Music on the Borderland: Remembering and Chronicling the 1979 Revolution’s Shadow on Iranian Music; by Keyan Emami
This book explores how the 1979 Revolution profoundly shaped Iranian music through the personal journeys of contemporary composers, revealing their struggles, triumphs, and the enduring sociopolitical challenges they faced. A must-read for anyone interested in Iranian culture, the resilience of artists, and the transformative impact of historical events in modern history.
Endorsements
Keyan Emami’s study is important chiefly because it comes “from the inside”. It is written by a person who has lived the stories he lays before the reader, by an artist who has directly experienced post-revolution Iran and can look back at this difficult reality critically, from the perspective of a now highly accomplished doctoral graduate of one of North America’s finest institutions, and a Juno-nominated composer to boot. Dr. Emami’s work is a recommended read for anyone who shares his background, but also for non-Iranian audiences who need to learn about an important chapter of world history and its cultural dimension, and to hear it “from the horse’s mouth”.
Norbert Palej; Composer; Artistic Director of U of T New Music Festival; Associate Professor, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto
I knew Keyan as a gifted and prolific composer, moreover one who deepens into musical meaning in a profound manner that has an immediate and lasting effect on his listeners, but his remarkable ability to write in such a thoughtful and absorbing way, was an unexpected surprise. This book is a revelation of a mind that effortlessly crosses the divide between academic language and powerful prose that feels at times fictional, particularly in sections where the author warns the reader about the upcoming brutal and inhuman scenes that can emotionally overwhelm even hardened readers. There is nothing fictional, however, about this personal, heartrending, and very real story of cultural deprivation, oppression, resistance, and survival. There is also nothing fictional about the heroic personal and communal resilience of a people with a millennial-long history of intellectual and cultural accomplishment, speaking music to power and defiantly but also proudly enduring the consequences of such defiance. This book speaks powerful music to inauthentic power and will resonate with everyone who has felt the need to speak out but did not have the requisite courage to suffer the consequences. The minute I started reading “MUSIC ON THE BORDERLAND” I knew that I would not be able to put the book down until I reached the last page. Once you too start reading it, you will know what I mean.
Christos Hatzis; Composer, Intuiter, Thinker, Educator; Professor, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto
Keyan Emami
Keyan Emami, a Juno-nominated composer, is celebrated for his contemporary works inspired by Persian literature and various musical forms. Renowned for his orchestral, vocal, and piano compositions, his music has garnered international recognition, acclaimed as “eloquent and poignant” and “dark and moving.”
As the co-founder and artistic director of Key Music Productions and the ICOT collective, Emami brings a wealth of expertise to his compositions, drawing from his doctoral studies in composition at the University of Toronto. Alongside his illustrious career as a composer, Emami serves as an RCM Certified Music Teacher and Adjudicator at The Royal Conservatory College of Examiners, enriching the next generation of musicians with his passion and knowledge.
Emami’s monograph, Music on the Borderland, offers readers a captivating exploration of the complex and evolving landscape of Iranian music. Through meticulous research and personal insight, Emami invites readers to delve into the untold stories and creative journeys of Iranian composers, shedding light on the diverse influences that shape their artistic expression. This monograph marks the first part of a trilogy about Emami’s lived experiences. Furthermore, Emami has composed two additional musical works as part of this trilogy: “Journey Inwards,” an orchestral exploration reflecting the composer’s inner psychological reality, and “The Black Fish,” a musical interpretation of imaginative landscapes evoking strong emotions. Together, they offer a profound journey through themes of identity, resilience, and artistic expression.
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