BioGraphy
Farokhzad Layegh (b. 1963, Shiraz) is an Iranian composer and senior interventional cardiologist whose music bridges Persian musical heritage and Western contemporary composition. Trained in Paris, he brings a rare dual perspective to his work: medicine grounding him in the concrete world of the human body, risk, and intervention; composition drawing him toward language, memory, and fragmentation.
Layegh began violin studies at age seven before the 1979 Revolution led him to set music aside for years while pursuing medical training. He resumed musical study in Paris with Reza Ghassemi on setar, then continued with Massoud Shaari, Hossein Alizadeh, and Dariush Talai—leading figures in contemporary Persian classical music.
His first major work, The Book of Austerity (2007), set contemporary Persian poetry against classical Persian musical tradition, featuring vocals by Shahram Nazeri, one of Iran’s foremost classical singers. Released on Kereshmeh Records, it was recognized as a modern compositional experience within traditional Persian repertoire.
Sus-Septed Tempus (2013), a string quartet cycle recorded with Layegh on cello, extended his inquiry into Western chamber music. The work received its UK premiere at Cadogan Hall (INTERNAVA concert, 2020). Individual movements were later arranged for string orchestra and given their Dutch premiere by Amsterdam Sinfonietta at Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ alongside Kayhan Kalhor and cellist Kian Soltani. Sus-Septed Tempus V was released as a music film by Amsterdam Sinfonietta—a series also featuring Astor Piazzolla and Arvo PÄ·rt.
Lexolalia Descenticum (2021, album release April 2024) is the central work of Layegh’s output to date. The eight-part composition originated from a dream in which T.S. Eliot recited The Waste Land while Iranian poet Ahmad Shamlou simultaneously recited his poetry. Written for the centenary of Eliot’s poem, the title translates as “Wordful Stutter of the Fall.” The album was released on Hermes Records (8 tracks, 38 min).
The Waste Land / Het barre land (2022–2026) is a large-scale interdisciplinary production by Amsterdam Sinfonietta and ISH Dance Collective, combining Layegh’s music with Candida Thompson’s ensemble, choreography by Marco Gerris, aerial acrobatics by Bencha Theater, and recorded voices of Eliot and Shamlou. Theaterkrant called it “an exhilarating fusion of strings, choreography and acrobatics.” The production premiered in the Netherlands in September 2022, returned for a national tour in February 2025, and received its Asian premiere at the 53rd Hong Kong Arts Festival on March 15–16, 2025 as one of the Festival’s flagship international productions. The production continues touring through May 2026.
Layegh co-founded INTERNAVA, a non-profit established to support Iranian musicians and composers and promote Persian music internationally, alongside British conductor Mark Stephenson.
LISTEN & WATCH
The Book of Austerity — Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube (Kereshmeh Records, 2007)
Sus-Septed Tempus V — Amsterdam Sinfonietta, YouTube (2021)
Lexolalia Descenticum — Spotify, Apple Music (Hermes Records, 2024)
Het barre land — Trailer, ISH Dance Collective / Amsterdam Sinfonietta, YouTube (2022)
AVAILABLE FOR PERFORMANCE
Sus-Septed Tempus — String quartet, ~25 minutes
Lexolalia Descenticum — String orchestra + tape, ~38 minutes
The Waste Land / Het barre land — Full interdisciplinary production (string orchestra, dancers, aerial
acrobats), 75 minutes