SUSSAN DEYHIM BIO

“Sussan Deyhim is a fascinating original voice in music and the arts. Her rich and complex vocals are warm, beautifully sung, and always surprising. I’m proud that she is and has been a member of our ‘Voicestra’ for many years.”
- Bobby McFerrin

Sussan DeyhimSussan Deyhim is an Iranian composer, vocalist and performance artist. She is internationally known for creating a unique sonic and vocal language imbued with a sense of ritual and the unknown. She was part of the national ballet company in Iran from the age of thirteen and she traveled all across Iran studying with master folk musicians and dancers. In 1976 she joined The Bejart Ballet in Europe after receiving a scholarship to attend Bejarts’ performance art school Mudra where she was trained in many of the great world, dance, music and theater traditions as well as in classical ballet. Her music remains true to the spirit of her ancient heritage while pointing to the future with a very personal and poetic dramatic sensibility. In 1980 she moved to New York embarking on a multifaceted career encompassing music, theatre, dance, media and film. She created/starred in ground breaking media operas at La Mama in the ‘80s including Azax/ Attra and The Ghost of Ibn Sabah.

Sussan’s wide-ranging collaborations with leading artists from across the spectrum of contemporary art have included, Ornette Coleman, Bobby McFerrin, Peter Gabriel, Bill Laswell, Talvin Singh, Micky Hart, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Garcia, Doug Wimbish, Adrian Sherwood and The Blue Man Group and with two of the most prominent female visual artists Shirin Neshat and Sophie Calle.
Her composition Windfall/Beshno Az Ney was recently used by U2 throughout the US and Europe. “U2s 360 tour” in one of the largest scale tock tours to this day. Beshno Az Ney is an intro to U2 “Sunday Bloody Sunday” a moving number in solidarity with Iran’s Green movement.

Sussan has performed with international orchestras such as the Polish Radio Orchestra and the Krakow Philharmonic and has received commissions as a composer from international ensembles such as Bang On A Can. She has performed her music at Lincoln Center Summer Festival, Carnegie Recital Hall, Albert Hall, The Old Vic, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royce Hall and many other major venues.

Sussan’s solo recordings include:

Madman of God: Divine Love Songs of the Persian Sufi Masters,
Shy Angels (with Bill Laswell) for the visionary label Crammed Discs.

Her recordings with Richard Horowitz include:
Majoun (for Sony Classical), Desert Equations (released on Crammed Discs), A Gift of Love (for Deepak Chopra with narration by Martin Sheen, Robert Thurman, Rosa Parks, Madonna, Goldie Hawn, and Debra Winger).

With composer and director Heiner Goebbels, Deyhim recorded Shadows (for ECM), based on writings of Edgar Allan Poe and Heiner Mueller. She was also a featured soloist on Hal Wilner’s tribute to Kurt Weill, Lost in the Stars.

Her label Venus Rising Records has released 5 new album of her works on film, multi media and recent collaborations.

Film/Television

The Last Temptation of Christ
Music: Peter Gabriel

Any Given Sunday
Music: Richard Horowitz

Unfaithful
Music: Jan Kaczmarek

Sleeper Cell
Music: Paul Haslinger (Golden Globe winning Showtime series)

The Kite Runner
Music by Alberto Iglesias

The Rise of the Argonauts
Music: Tyler Bates

Tobruk
Music in collaboration with Richard Horowitz, winner of Czech Lion Award in 2009.

The Stoning of Soraya M
Music: John Debney

Sussan has been a frequent participant at humanitarian events and benefits, including a performance at the gathering of the spiritual leaders of the world at the UN General Assembly in 2001; the first Gathering of Female Spiritual Leaders in Geneva at the United Nations and the Royal Hope Gala, Royal Albert Hall, London, England with Placido Domingo, The Royal Ballet and many others, for medical aid to Iraqi children.

In 2009 she performed in a sold out concert at the UN General Assembly organized by Pakistan’s biggest rock musician and activist, Salman Ahmad to raise funds for misplaced children in Pakistan with other participants such as, Jeff Skol, Bobby Sager, and Gavin Rossdale .

Sussan’s current and upcoming projects include:

  • New solo recording releases and works with Richard Horowitz.
  • “The House is Black” , her media opera based on the life and work of the Iranian contemporary literary heroine, Forough Farrokhzad. (in development)
  • “Forbidden Echoes” a sonic visual installation (in development)

“Sussan Deyhim creates thrilling music that sounds in the ear long after you’ve left the show.”
- The New York Times

Performance Links

Quo Vadis: youtube.com/watch?v=DtiGPUFVqD8
Solidarity: youtube.com/watch?v=ttw5bYUPTBc
Logic of the Birds Clips:
youtube.com/watch?v=e0BYf6-zroE
youtube.com/watch?v=7dh-qbu-ZhA
youtube.com/watch?v=EOAlZfWPb3c
youtube.com/watch?v=-j052DT4N3c
Miserere: youtube.com/watch?v=yVMxmGO80AE