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Forbidden Music

17 September: world premiere concert of works by the Iranian composer Mehdi Rajabian

The Iranian composer Mehdi Rajabian Credits: Barg Music

Published on 15.04.2025

Author Daniela Huser

  • Music

None of his works has ever been performed – and yet Mehdi Rajabian is the first musician to win the ‘International Art Contest for Minority Artists’ in 2023. The fact that four of his pieces are now being premiered in Zurich is partly thanks to the determined efforts of André Bellmont, Head of Composition for Film, Theatre and Media at ZHdK.

Mehdi Rajabian, who talked about his repeated arrests in Iran in an interview with the music magazine ‘Billboard’, has been imprisoned several times because of his work.
When the ‘East by West’ concert takes place at the Helferei in Zurich on 17 September, he will not be in the audience. Mehdi Rajabian is not allowed to leave his home country, Iran. Nevertheless, the concert will be a dream come true for him.

André Bellmont recalls: Film composer Martin Villiger put a flea in his ear in 2023. Mehdi Rajabian wanted to perform his music live with strings. And he, André, was probably the right person for the job. Bellmont then got in touch with Rajabian. For a year, the two sent the scores back and forth to work on them.
As a result of Rajabian's several months of work with Bellmont, the ZHdK has decided to recognise this interprofessional exchange and to issue Mehdi an equivalence of achievement for the successful exchange. This is an important event for Rajabian – the Islamic Republic has banned him from studying.

Sources:

  • Billboard article from 4/11/2025: Composer Mehdi Rajabian Can't Leave Iran But His Music Is Traveling
  • Billboard article from 2 November 2023: Dissident Iranian Composer Wins United Nations Award
  • Concert: ‘East by West’ – 17 September 2025, 7:30 p.m., Kulturhaus Helferei, Zurich

The concert on 17 September at the Kulturhaus Helferei is part of the ‘Herbst in der Helferei’ concert series. It will be performed by the string ensemble ‘Stringendo’ (conductor Jens Lohmann) and seven soloists. The programme includes four works by Rajabian as world premieres: ‘An Epitaph on the Tomb of Companions’, ‘Whip on a Lifeless Body’, ‘Murmur of the Naked Nun’ and ‘Coup of Gods’ – complemented by music by Hans Zimmer and the Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi.

No power can stop the freedom of music.

Mehdi Rajabian 2021 in Billboard interview

Mehdi is a true artist. A true artist will never compromise his artistic vision and beliefs, even if he has to sacrifice his own existence to do so.

André Bellmont, Head of Composition for Film, Theatre and Media at ZHdK
First rehearsals in April with the soloists and André Bellmont (left in picture). Mehdi Rajabian is joining in live via video call.
Credits: Sören Funk
First rehearsals in April with the soloists and André Bellmont (left in picture).
Credits: Sören Funk
Back row, from left to right: Martin Tillman, Valeri Tostov, Mira Tyrina, Isabel Gehweiler, Julian Zuzak 
Front row, from left to right: Faruk Muslijevic, Veronika Stalder, Andrey Mordovsky, Andi Pupato, André Bellmont 
Credits: Sören Funk
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