The Fall 2024 Semester Comes to A Close

Dec. 5, 2024

Fall 2024 was a busy semester for the Mossavar-Rahmani Center, having welcomed new and old affiliates, hosted ten academic seminars and sponsored two unique performances of Iranian music. 

MRC members enjoying dinner at the Fall Reception.

The semester kicked off with its annual Fall Reception, where students, faculty, and staff mingled and enjoyed Persian food and music. The reception was held in Maeder Courtyard where attendees enjoyed the sunny fall weather and music by the Shiraz Ensemble, a contemporary Iranian music group performing with traditional instruments. Interim Director Julia Elyachar welcomed guests and shared the Center’s roster of activities for the semester ahead. The event set the stage for an exciting fall as guests were treated to gheimeh bademjaan (Persian stew), with the sounds of the kamancheh and santoor resounding in the space.

In the span of three months, the Center hosted ten interdisciplinary seminars with six lecturers from outside of Princeton joining us on campus. The Wednesday Seminar Series began with a book launch for Professor Allen Fromherz’s The Center of the World: A Global History of the Persian Gulf from the Stone Age to the Presentand finished with Professor Alexander Jabbari’s talk, The Making of Persianate Modernity: Language and Literary History between Iran and India

Q-mars Haeri presents his research.

The latest cohort of Center researchers also shared their work as part of the series. Postdoctoral Research Associate Q-mars Haeri presented on his project on the development of a social history of Lalezar, one of the most important theatre districts in Iran. Associate Research Scholar Sareh Z Afshar analyzed the conceptual art of Azadeh Akhlaghi, placing it in her framework of ‘performances of death.’ Finally, Postdoctoral Research Associate Zep Kalb explored the relationship between sanctions against Iran alongside the country’s economic development through the decades.

Decoda Ensemble performs Reza Vali's work.

Additionally, the Center hosted two culturally distinct concerts this semester. On September 24th, it celebrated composer Reza Vali with a performance of his work, “A Portrait Concert Celebrating Reza Vali Performed by Artists of Decoda, The Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall,” which was held in Chancellor Green Rotunda and co-sponsored by the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies (PIIRS) and the Department of Music. The ensemble featured three talented Decoda artists—Catherine Gregory (flute), Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir (cello), and David Kaplan (piano)—whose performance honored Vali and his artistic identity and premiered a new version of Vali’s ‘Mystery of the Rose,’ for flute, cello, and piano. A reception followed the performance, allowing guests to engage with Vali and the musicians, enjoy some hor d’oeuvres and bring home complimentary CD’s and scores of the music they had enjoyed. 

Aliakbar Morardi and Pejman Hadadi play their instruments onstage.

On November 25th, the Mossavar-Rahmani Center presented the “Euphoric Whispers: Improvisations for Tanbur and Percussion” concertThe performance featured improvisations from master tanbur player Aliakbar Moradi and prolific percussionist Pejman Hadadi. “Euphoric Whispers” boasted a sold-out venue at Frist Theater 301. The ecstatic Kurdish music from western Iran left the audience entranced. This performance was co-sponsored by PIIRS, the Department of Music, and the Department of Near Eastern Studies.

As the semester comes to a close, the Mossavar-Rahmani Center is sponsoring the Iranian Student Association’s Yalda event, promising a joyous celebration following a semester of hard work. 

Please check our website for our exciting spring lineup. We look forward to seeing you then!