Ahmad Pejman (Persian: احمد پژمان ; born 1937), also spelled as Ahmad Pezhman, is an Iranian classical composer who resides in the United States. Pejman is notable for his operatic and symphonic works.
Born in 1937 in Lar, Iran, Pejman was exposed to the sounds and rhythms of southern Iran from early childhood. In high school he started violin lessons with Heshmat Sanjari and music theory with Hossein Nassehi.
As a young violinist with the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, he was awarded a scholarship to study composition at the Music Academy in Vienna. He studied composition with Thomas Christian David, Alfred Uhl, and Hans Jelineck. As a first year student at the Academy, Pejman's compositions were performed by the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and his orchestral work Rhapsody was performed by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. In his third year as a student, he was commissioned to write the first Persian Opera Rustic Festival for the opening of the Tehran Opera house, Rudaki Hall. Upon graduation from the Academy of Music in Vienna, Pejman returned to Iran in 1968, where he was commissioned to write the opera Hero of Sahand (Delarvareh Sahand) which was based on legendary Persian hero Babak Khorramdin. The opera was premiered at Roudaki Hall in 1968. Between 1969 and 1978, Pejman continued to compose symphonic works, operas, ballets, and also wrote many scores for motion pictures and television programs.
In 1976, three years before the Iranian revolution, Pejman moved to New York, where he entered Columbia University's Doctorate of Music program in New York and continued his studies with Buelant Arel, Vladimir Ushachevsky and Jack Beeson.
In 1984, Pejman moved to Los Angeles and continued to compose and arrange music for jazz and pop ensembles, and motion pictures Threat, 1985.
In 1992, Pejman was commissioned to write a cantata for choir and orchestra for the liberation of Khorramshahr Beh Yade Khorramshahr, 1992. He was then commissioned to write music for a musical theater to be performed at Vahdat Hall (previously called Rudaki) Mokhtar, 1993. Since 1993 Pejman has been writing film music and composing for the orchestra and choir and released various soundtracks and CDs.
Pejman has written orchestral works, operas, film scores, ballet pieces, and popular music.
Concerto for nine instruments 1964 (Student at Music Academy in Vienna)Rhapsody for orchestra 1965 (Student at Music Academy in Vienna)Sonata for viola and piano (1966) (Student at Music Academy in Vienna)Parsian Overture (1966) (Student at Music Academy in Vienna)Rustic Festival, Opera in one act for the opening of Rudaki Opera house, 1967The Hero of Sahand, Opera in 2 acts, 1968The Illumination, Ballet, 1969Samandar, Opera in three acts, 1970Baba Barfi, Children Music, 1971Gol Omad, Bahar Omad, Children Music, 1971Music for Poems of Nima Youshij, recited by Ahmad Shamlou, 1972Chamber Music for Santoor and Tombak, 1972Ballet-Impressions, 1973Ayyaran, Ballet for Persian Instruments, 1974Symphonic Sketches, 1975Hemmaseh, Ballet (performed by Manchester Ballet Company 19763 Pieces for Jazz Ensemble 1980Music Arrangement and Pop compositions 1988-1991Khorramshahr, Cantata for soloist, chorus and orchestra 1992Mokhtar, Musical Theater 1993Seven Hurdles of Rostam, Ballet 1996Resurrection, Oratorio Mosfilm Orchestra Moscow Academy Choir 2007Sohrab, Music for Soloist, Choir and Orchestra (on Sohrab Sepehri poems 2009Shadows of the Sun 2010 (to be released on Hermes Records 2010)Norooz Symphony in 5 movements 2011Divertimento in 4 movements for String Orchestra 2016Parsava - 5 movements for solo piano 2016Sarzamin Delavaran (Land of the Brave) 2017Film and Television
Sadeh Celebration, Film Music Askari-Nasab director, 1971Daliran Tengestan TV series, Homayoon Shahnavaz director 1973Shazdeh Ehtejab Film Music, Bahman Farmanara, director, 1974Tall Shadows of the Wind Film Music, Bahman Farmanara director 1977Made in Iran aka Sakhte Iran Film Music, Amir Naderi director, 1978Crossroads of Civilization TV series, David Frost producer 1978-1979Veiled Threat Film Music, Cyrus Nowrasteh director, 1986Checkpoint Film Music Parviz Sayyad Director, 1987The Actor, Film Music Mohsen Makhmalbaf director, 1993Zinat Film Music Ebrahim Mokhtari director, 1993Kimia Film Music Mohammad Reza Darvish director, 1995Blue Scarf Roosari Abi Film Music, Rakhshan Bani Etemad director 1995Iranair documentary - Film Music Mostafa R. Karimi 1997Friendly Persuasion Film Music Jamsheed Akrami director 1999Smell of Camphor, Fragrance of Jasmine Film Music, Bahman Farmanara 2000Baran Film Music Majid Majidi director 2001Along the Wind Documentary film music Manouchehr Tayyab director 2001A House Built on Water Film Music Bahman Farmanara director 2002Astan Ghods Razavi Documentary Film Music Manouchehr Tayyab director 2003A Little Kiss Film Music Bahman Farmanara Director, 2004The Willow Tree Film Music Majid Majidi Director 2005Sea of Pars Documentary Film Music Manouchehr Tayyab director, 2006Alborz Documentary Film Music Manouchehr Tayyab director, 2011Hameh Shahre Iran (Ethnic Music of Iran) - Naydavood RecordsJing-o-jing-e saaz - Alladin RecordsEternal River - Alladin RecordsSymphonic Sketches - Alladin RecordsTigress - Alladin RecordsMemories of Tomorrow - Hermes RecordsMirage - Hermes RecordsLunatic - Hermes RecordsHaft Khan Rostam - MZM Records