Hormoz Farhat Recordings

Hormoz Farhat was the first Iranian to have studied music in the U.S. He has a BA in composition from UCLA; he received an MA from Mills College, where he studied with Darius Milhaud, followed by further studies in composition, back at UCLA, with Lukas Foss and later with Roy Harris. For his PhD degree he worked with Professor Mantle Hood and produced, as his dissertation, what is regarded as the seminal work on the Persian modal system: The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music, published later (1990) by the Cambridge University Press.

For many years, Dr. Farhat was a member of the Music Faculty at UCLA, followed by a period of return to his native country in the 1970s, when he served as Professor and Head of the Music Department at Tehran University. He was also active as the Chairman of the Music Council at the National Iranian Radio and Television Organization. Since 1979 he has been in Ireland, first as a Visiting Professor at the Queens University of Belfast, followed by his appointment to the Chair of Music and the Headship of the School of Music at Dublin University, Trinity College. He retired in 1995 but continues his associations with Trinity College as an Emeritus Professor and a Fellow of the College.

Professor Farhat has written a sizable body of compositions, including symphonic works, concertos, chamber music, choral works, songs and piano music. Some of his compositions have been widely performed in countries the United States, Great Britain, Iran, Romania, France, Poland, Ireland and the Philippines. He has lectured at many universities in Europe and in America, including a two term lecture engagement (1972-73) at Harvard University.