Hormoz Farhat

Full biography Hormoz Farhat

Hormoz Farhat was a renowned Persian-American composer and ethnomusicologist who spent much of his career in Dublin , Ireland. He was born in Tehran, Iran in 1928, and showed an early interest in music. Farhat pursued his music education in Tehran, and later moved to the United States to continue his studies. He received his Ph.D. in composition and ethnomusicology from UCLA in 1956.

Farhat had a distinguished career as a composer and professor of music. He wrote a significant body of works , including numerous orchestral works , six string quartets, and other chamber music. He was especially known for his contributions to Iranian music, and was the first Iranian composer to write a formal piano sonata.

In addition to his work as a composer , Farhat also made significant contributions to the field of ethnomusicology. He was particularly interested in the music of the Middle East and Central Asia and wrote extensively on the subject. Farhat was a generous and highly respected teacher, and he taught at several institutions during his career, including the University of California, Berkeley and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.

Farhat received many honors and awards during his lifetime. In 2018, the Iran National Commission for UNESCO honored him for his contributions to Iranian music. He passed away in August 2021, leaving behind a rich legacy as a composer, scholar, and teacher. Hormoz Farhat was a gifted and distinctive musician who made significant contributions to the world of music.