Concerto for Flute and Orchestra

The melancholic tone of the Ney (the Persian bamboo flute) is known for its alluring sound, emulating the human voice. In Persian literature, the Ney is considered a mystic instrument capable of expressing deep human emotions.

In writing my flute concerto, I aimed not only to highlight the modern flautist?s ability to play agile and brilliant passages but also to emulate the delicate sound of the Ney, particularly in extended solo flute passages.

Two prominent characters permeate the first movement of my concerto. They are marked in the score as lamentoso, and con spirito, expressing grief and loss, and joy of living respectively. The lament is mostly expressed in several extended cadenzas for solo flute while the con spirito consists of robust and energetic fast sections played by all forces of the orchestra. Apart from these two characters there are moments of mystery, comedy and the grotesque, among others.

In the second movement, the lyrical and poetic character of the flute is prominently presented in dream-like passages surrounded by shimmering and tender orchestral colors. The solo flute is left out in an agitated middle section that references the first movement. In the third section of the movement the solo flute returns in meditative fashion culminating in a duet with the harp.

The third movement is written as one continuous quasi scherzo, challenging the limits of agility and brilliance of the flute. Some of the materials from the earlier movements are presented again with joyous character. The coda elevates the concerto into its brightest and most festive character, driving to the end with relentless energy.

A chance meeting after the Philadelphia Orchestra's performance of Ranjbaran's piano Concerto led principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner to ask the composer why he didn't write a concerto for flute. Ranjbaran's response "Why not?" has resulted in a major new concerto for the flute, one already making its mark in the repertoire. "Much of the music has a florid, sensuous feel, making consistent use of Middle Eastern scales and evocations of the ney, a Persian folk flute…Ranjbaran marries that to an all-out virtuoso cast for his soloist, which had the effect of making it sound turbocharged." (Greg Stepanich, Palm Beach ArtsPaper)

A chance meeting after the Philadelphia Orchestra's performance of Ranjbaran's piano Concerto led principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner to ask the composer why he didn't write a concerto for flute. Ranjbaran's response "Why not?" has resulted in a major new concerto for the flute, one already making its mark in the repertoire. "Much of the music has a florid, sensuous feel, making consistent use of Middle Eastern scales and evocations of the ney, a Persian folk flute…Ranjbaran marries that to an all-out virtuoso cast for his soloist, which had the effect of making it sound turbocharged." (Greg Stepanich, Palm Beach ArtsPaper)

A chance meeting after the Philadelphia Orchestra's performance of Ranjbaran's piano Concerto led principal flutist Jeffrey Khaner to ask the composer why he didn't write a concerto for flute. Ranjbaran's response "Why not?" has resulted in a major new concerto for the flute, one already making its mark in the repertoire. "Much of the music has a florid, sensuous feel, making consistent use of Middle Eastern scales and evocations of the ney, a Persian folk flute…Ranjbaran marries that to an all-out virtuoso cast for his soloist, which had the effect of making it sound turbocharged." (Greg Stepanich, Palm Beach ArtsPaper)