Vancouver Iranian Choir was formed in North Vancouver in August 2016 by Mr. Sepehr Hojjaty, a musician composer and conductor active in the field for more than … years and the cooperation of Maestro Amir Eslami.
From the beginning, our primary goal has been to perform pieces by talented Iranian composers. Over the past four years, we have welcomed more than one hundred members who have benefited from our music and vocal training.
Currently, the choir is active in three levels as follows:

1. Choir No. 1 includes 20 seasonal singers who have been with us from the start.
2. Choir No. 2, comprising 20 singers who joined us within the last year.
3. Choir No. 3, consisting of 10 new members who join every three months, completing some training, will eventually move up to Choir No. 2 after completing preparatory courses.

Every month an instructor chosen amongst the best is invited to hold diverse music workshops for our members focusing on vocal techniques, breathing exercises, larynx health, vocal cord maintenance, conducting, and more.

Key Milestones:

-August 13, 2016: Vancouver Iranian Choir launched!

-September 17, 2016: First official meeting of the choir classes.

-December 13, 2016: The choir’s first concert at the practice church.

-January 15, 2017: Formation of choir classes in Port Moody.

-March 17, 2017: Performance of the piece “Spring” in celebration of Nowruz at Mulgrave School in West

Vancouver.

-August 13, 2017: Celebration of the choir’s first anniversary.

-November 2, 2017: Meeting and practice session with renowned composer Dr. Ali Nader Esfahani.

-December 13, 2017: Second choir concert at the practice church.

-December 16, 2017: Third choir concert at Capilano University North Vancouver.

-February 2018: Voice production and vocal techniques workshop with Mrs. Talin Ohanian.

-March 2018: Fourth concert of the choir at Kalech Theater in Vancouver.

-July 18, 2018: Conducting and expressing music workshop with Dr. Maryam Farshadfar, an Evergreen Valley, USA, university professor.

-August 13, 2018: Celebration of the choir’s second anniversary.

-November 8, 2018: Music workshop with the talented Mr.Mohsen Namjoo.

-January 16, 2019: Meeting of choir members with Maestro Ahmad Pejman.

-February 27, 2019: First studio recording of a Nowruz piece composed by Mr.Amir Eslami.

-March 13, 2019: First video clip recording of the choir performing the Nowruz piece by Maestro Amir Eslami.

-May 9, 2019: Meeting of the choir members with Dr. Jeanette Gallant.

-June 7, 2019: Formation of the second Iranian Choir of Vancouver.

-August 13, 2019: Celebration of the choir’s third anniversary.

-August 30, 2019: Call for a peace-themed piece for the choir to perform at the 21st concert on September 2020 (World Peace Day).

-October 18 and 19, 2019: 6th concert of the choir.

– November 6, 2019: Formation of the third choir.

-November 6, 2019: Voice production and vocal techniques workshop with  Dr.Jeanette Gallant.

-December 31, 2019: Announcement of the results of the call for pieces for the choir, with the selection of Dr. Joshua Fishbein’s “Study War No More” 🕊️

-From the beginning of 2020 to 2022, choir classes were held online due to the Corona pandemic, during which the group released six music videos.

-Additionally, we started seniors’ ballad singing classes under the management of Mrs. Maryam Soroush Nesab; our seniors have released six music videos.

-April 2, 2022: Choir concert with Lions Gate Sinfonia held at Centennial Theater in North Vancouver

-On March 3, 2023, the executive choir performed on the occasion of the International?

– On April 13, 2023, the Executive Choir performed in Capilano University Hall with the Capilano University Student Orchestra.

– In April 2023, the choir group released the music video « Arghavan .»

The Vancouver Iranian Choir has performed pieces by great Iranian composers, such as :

Maestro Ahmad Pejman, Kambiz Roshan Rovan, Ruhollah Khaleghi, Morteza Nei Dawood, Amir Eslami, Taimaz Saba, Sepehr Hojjaty, Mehrdad Abkenari, Dr.

Ali Nader Esfahani, Mohsen Javadzadeh, Mozhgan Chahian, Peyman Salehian, Elham Hamedi, Daud Jafari and Soroush Kamalian.

Class Location:

Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
1110 Gladwin Dr, North Vancouver, BC V7R 1A2

Rehearsal: Every week, Wednesday 6 – 9 PM

This is open to all ages between 8 to 80

Language: Farsi

You just need to love music, that’s it!

Contact number:
Sepehr
6047254190

Amir Eslami (Mirabadi) was born in Iran and immigrated to Vancouver in 2015. He studied at the Tehran University of Art, receiving a BA in music in 1996 and a MA in music composition in 2002.  He later served as a faculty member at the university, including as Head of the Iranian Music Department and Dean of Administration for the Music Faculty. Amir has won multiple Iranian and international prizes (Italy, Australia and Netherlands) in music composition. He has released four music albums as a composer and more than ten music albums as a Ney (Persian Traditional Flute) player. His pieces have been performed in Iran, Italy, Australia, the US, the Netherlands and Canada. Amir recently teaches music in Vancouver in fields of music theory, sight singing, ear training, and music composition. In addition, he is the head of music teachers in Vancouver Iranian Choir.
Website: www.amir-eslami.com

Sepeher Hojjaty was born in 1992; He started learning music and his first instrument violin at the age of 15. Only 2 years after he started learning harmony and orchestration from Mr. Kambiz Roshanravan. Currently he has written more than 25 pieces of music for Persian instruments, strings and piano. He currently is continuing his studies in the field of music at Capilano University, and he is learning composition with help of his new teacher Mr. Amir Eslami.

Negin Attar is a dedicated pianist and music teacher. She graduated from Capilano University music program and has years of experience as an accompanist for singers and instrumentalists in concerts, master classes and rehearsals. She is always passionate to grow with new experiences.

Maryam Soroushnasab is a Tar and Setar player. She got BA in music from Tehran Art University. Her latest album, “Reyhan”, performed by vocalist “Mohsen keramati”, and published in Tehran in 2016. She got certificates in teaching Orff music to children from Pars institute in Tehran and Motzarteom University of Salzburg, Austria. She teaches Tar and Setar in Vancouver. Also, she teaches Orff music to children. “Azeri Dances”, a repertoire by Amir Eslami, was performed by Maraym as a Tar soloist and Ambelside Symphony Orchestra on April 1^st 2016 (Persian New Year). She is one of the teachers in Vancouver Iranian Choir and teaches singing to seniors through the online system.

Taees Gheirati was born in Mashhad, Iran. She sang along with her mother since childhood and started to learn Iranian music more seriously through playing the santour at the age of 10. She received her bachelor’s degree in Performing Iranian Classical Music (santour) from University of Tehran. Her studies led to the Tehran University of Art, where she completed a Master’s in Ethnomusicology. Later, she followed her passion for the music and culture of Eastern Khorasan through the doctoral program of Ethnomusicology at UBC, where she is a PhD candidate. Gheirati has performed as both santour player and singer with a variety of ensembles. As a soprano she has collaborated with several choirs in Mashhad and Tehran, such as Aria Choir conducted by Hengameh Azimi, Avaye Mahan Choir conducted by Nima Fatehi, and ÖKFT Choir conducted by Vijay Upadhyaya.

Mohsen Javadzadeh

He was trained in Classical singing, composition, and Playing Piano.

Mentions of his work include writing the musical score for several plays, personal compositions, and working with Tehran’s Philharmonic and Symphonic orchestra. He had cooperation with Iran Radio, and Television (as a pianist and music expert)

and Turkish Radio and Television (as a composer and pianist).

Choir Members