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Composer Kian Ravaei’s Cross-Cultural 'Four Seasons of Hamadan'
When division seems our new, unhappy normal, New York-based composer Kian Ravaei comes along and creates just the opposite – 23 stunning minutes of literal and metaphorical harmony.
Ravaei’s latest creation – The Four Seasons of Hamadan – intertwines Persian and Jewish folkloric traditions. With the unique combination of solo violin and dancer, beautifully choreographed by Annie Kahane, we have an opportunity to experience the aural and physical nature of these iconic melodies.
Dancer Kate Myers and violinist Yvette Cornelia Holzwarth perform in Kian Ravaei's "Four Seasons of Hamadan."
Conceived in partnership with Kahane, this Four Seasons takes fragments from the two friends’ Persian and Jewish heritages as they "got curious" about each other’s culture. "Annie and I sought to not only highlight our individual cultures,” said Ravaei, "but tried to create something that intertwines them – shared connections to the earth."
According to Ravaei, "Hamadan is a city in present-day Iran, which is thought to be the burial place of Esther and Mordecai from the Hebrew Bible."
Ravaei and Kahane discuss the making of The Four Seasons of Hamadan.
The Four Seasons of Hamadan is structured using the following Persian and Jewish holidays by season:
Spring: Nowruz & Purim
Summer: Tirgan & Shavuot
Autumn: Mehregan & Sukkot
Winter: Yalda & Hannukah
As a listener familiar with music surrounding the Jewish holidays, I was struck by how beautifully the Persian melodies complimented and enhanced those themes familiar to me. The choreography and minimal props also helped set the stage for reflection and gratitude. The violin, of course, is an instrument that can convey the full range of emotions, and Ravaei maximizes its bounty without ever resorting to gimmickry.
As for the violin writing itself, while it’s far from easy, it’s infinitely playable. "Rooted in my year of intensive study of klezmer composition and Iranian setar-playing," said Ravaie, "the violin part shifts between brisk klezmer-style passagework and lavish Persian improvisations." Violinist Yvette Cornelia Holzwarth, who both plays and moves beautifully, showcases the wonderful nuances within the work. In fact, she created some of the ornamentation, which Ravaei wove into the score.
The hypnotic dancing by Kate Myers could so easily distract, yet it never does. And while the combination of violin and dancer seems perfect to me, Ravaei says the piece will typically be performed for solo violin alone.
Violinist Yvette Cornelia Holzwarth and dancer Kate Myers in The Four Seasons of Hamadan.
Kudos to Ravaei and Kahane for bringing this project into being and to Holzwarth and Myers for giving us such a moving performance.
Click here for more information and to view/purchase the score.
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February 25, 2026 at 07:09 PM · A beautiful work, modern yet rooted in tradition, drawing from two cultures yet unified by themes of time and the seasons and the earth we share. I remembered the motto under the crest of the British Broadcasting Corporation: 'Nation shall speak peace unto nation.' Thank you for your post, Diana!