In early February 2017, the Seattle Symphony presented Music Beyond Borders: Voices from the Seven, a concert spotlighting music by composers from the seven countries included in then-recent U.S. executive orders restricting immigration. Among the featured works was Fantasia for Santoor and Accordion, composed by Alireza Motevaseli (born 1992, Tehran), which blends the shimmering santoor with the reedy tones of the accordion in a cross-cultural dialogue.
The concert took place at Benaroya Hall in Seattle on February 8, 2017, under the baton of Ludovic Morlot, then Music Director and conductor of the Seattle Symphony. The program aimed to celebrate diversity and immigrant voices in the arts, featuring works by composers like Rahim AlHaj (Iraq), Kinan Azmeh (Syria), Alireza Motevaseli (Iran), Ali Osman (Sudan), among others.
🎼 Program Note (based on available info)
Fantasia for Santoor and Accordion weaves together two contrasting sonic worlds: the santoor, a traditional Persian hammered-string instrument with delicate overtones, and the accordion, typically associated with folk or western popular forms. In this piece, composer Alireza Motevaseli navigates a musical space where textures, rhythm, and timbre intersect, reflecting both personal cultural heritage and a broader theme of diasporic identity. Its inclusion in Music Beyond Borders underscores how music can bridge political and cultural divides, bringing immigrant experiences to the fore through sound. (This program note is reconstructed from reviews, interviews, and the composer’s bio.)

📝 References
CNN. “Seattle Symphony spotlights immigrant music.” Feb 7, 2017. https://www.cnn.com/2017/02/07/politics/seattle-symphony-immigrant-music-trnd