For Iranian musicians, intercultural collaborations serve as a means to break free from isolation and connect with the wider world. This became particularly important in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution, which led to a significant decline in diplomatic relations between Iran and Western and many Arab countries. As Iranian society became more isolated, there arose a growing need to establish connections with other cultures and people. Consequently, the years leading up to the twenty-first century saw a noticeable increase in such collaborations both within Iran and abroad. This presentation offers a detailed historical analysis of intercultural music-making in Iran and among the Iranian diaspora. This analysis encompasses both improvised music, often linked to jazz and occasionally drawing inspiration from African or Eastern traditions. It also includes fully composed music, which is influenced by Western classical and contemporary music.

By examining the musical and extramusical concepts embedded in these intercultural collaborations, this discussion will delve into the underlying motivations driving such initiatives in Iran and compare them to those within the Iranian diaspora. Along this trajectory, this presentation will illuminate the distinctions between modernization and inclusiveness. It will also explore how these two concepts intersect within intercultural collaborations involving musicians from the broader Iranian diaspora. Ultimately, this research seeks to distinguish between imbalanced intercultural encounters that superficially exploit culture for exoticism and those that earnestly strive to establish a new liberal space for creative expression.

Note: This talk is based on a forthcoming chapter "Intercultural Music in Iran and its Diaspora: A path to inclusiveness or an opportunity for modernization" which is scheduled to be published in December 2025 in a book titled Iran Amplified: One hundred Years of Music and Society, edited by Nahid Siamdoust and Houchang Chehabi.

Hesam Abedini is a performer, composer, improviser, producer, and educator serving as Assistant Professor of Music at Butte College. His work transcends traditional boundaries, seamlessly blending contemporary music, classical Persian music, free improvisation, and computer music. As the founding member of Sibarg, an Intercultural Creative ensemble, he bridges traditional Persian music with jazz influences. His compositions have been performed by renowned ensembles including the JACK Quartet, Atlas Ensemble, Del Sol Quartet, Loadbang, Miolina, and Eclipse Quartet.

Hesam is also the director of "From Isfahan to Irvine," a documentary film sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute. A graduate of the Tehran Music Conservatory, he holds a B.A. in Music Composition with honors from UC San Diego and completed his PhD in Integrated Composition, Improvisation and Technology (ICIT) at UC Irvine as a Roshan and Provost PhD Fellow.

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