Past Event24 Sep 2026 · Toronto
The Voice of the Voiceless
A Tribute to Esfandiar Monfaredzadeh
A large-scale orchestral tribute to Esfandiar Monfaredzadeh, a pioneering Iranian composer and one of the defining figures of modern Iranian film music, whose scores for Qeysar, Reza Motori, Dash Akol, Tangna and The Deers remain part of the cultural memory of generations of Iranians. The evening brought orchestra, choir, and soloist together to carry his melodies to the concert stage.
- ConductorMaziar Heidari
- SoloistMilad Bagheri
- ComposersEsfandiar Monfaredzadeh · Homa Samiei · Sepehr Hojjaty
- ConcertmasterBijan Sepanji
- ChoirChaam Choir · chorus masters Homa Samiei & Milad Bagheri
Meet the artists
Composer
Esfandiar Monfaredzadeh
Pioneering Iranian composer and one of the defining figures of modern Iranian film music, whose scores for Qeysar and Reza Motori received consecutive Best Film Score honours at the Sepas Awards.
Conductor
Maziar Heidari
Iranian-Canadian conductor, composer, and pianist; Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Toronto Chinese Orchestra, co-founder and Music Director of the Iranian-Canadian Composers of Toronto (ICOT), and a long-standing JUNO Awards jury member.
Soloist
Milad Bagheri
Iranian vocalist, performer, and music producer based in Toronto, blending Persian traditional and Kurdish folk music with contemporary performance; Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Chaam Art Centre.
Composer
Homa Samiei
Iranian composer, pianist, and artistic director based in Toronto; composer of the opera Siyavash, Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director of Chaam Art Centre, and Music Director of Chaam Choir.
Composer
Sepehr Hojjaty
North Vancouver-based composer and artistic director exploring Persian and Western classical, orchestral, and choral music; founder of the Vancouver Iranian Choir Society.
Concertmaster
Bijan Sepanji
Toronto-based Canadian-Iranian violinist, chamber musician, and educator; a member of the JUNO-nominated Ton Beau String Quartet.
