the piece “Elegy” premiered by Momenta Quartet in February 2024, was composed in response to the sorrow of death. It is dedicated to the memory of all the people we have lost in these years in Iran. The main figure of the piece represents the moan and tears of grief, slowly streaming down from our eyes.
In the past, I sang in the streets of Tehran, fully aware of the risks. As you may know, it is forbidden for women to sing solo in public, and the consequences of being caught by the police could have been severe. Despite this, I chose to be brave and pursue the path I believed in.
Those moments of courage and defiance became the foundation for “Whisper in Wind”—a piece born out of a profound longing for freedom, both personal and collective.The composition is shaped around three symbolic characters: Past, Present, and Future.
The Past is a seeker, yearning for hope and freedom amid constraints and fear.
The Present represents someone who has achieved freedom but is unable to fully embrace it, held captive by the lingering shadows of the past.
The Future is the voice of freedom itself—a guiding force that calls out to the Present, urging her to awaken and recognize the light that surrounds her.
This piece opens with a declamation, setting the stage for the emotional and thematic journey that follows. As the narrative unfolds, the recorded folk song sounds of the streets—captured by passersby during moments of my past performances—interweave with the music.
The Piece “Barelaha” premiered by Modern Medieval in October 2023, was composed based on a Folk Song “Gole Baboone”( chamomile flowers). when I wrote this piece, it was in the early day of my migration to America.
I kept wondering why I had to be forced away from my homeland. The first two lines of the original poem about the chamomile flowers were constantly on my mind: “O Lord, for whom does your spring come? For whom do these chamomile flowers bloom?”
I was thinking what value a flower has, when it blooms in the absence of loved ones? when the sorrow of exile has made everything pale and dim? I decided to write a piece with this part of the poem.
A piece dedicated to all migrants whose migration was not their first choice.” Perhaps for us, the spring that is coming is not made of earthly flowers, but of a hope to return. A day when we will once again return to our homeland, where the scent of its flowers and soil will once more soothe our hearts, weary from exile.
Word of Mouth Collaboration Series, BU ART MUSEUM, BINGHAMTON Apr 2024 Premiere of the piece for Voice and Piano in Collaboration with Creative Writing and Voice Departmen.
Composer: Samane Paya
Writer: Derek Ellis
Voice: Victoria Popritkin