GREG ASLANI 1936-2020
Gregory H. Aslani was born in 1936 in a small village near Rasht in the northern Iranian Province of Gilan by the Caspian Sea. He studied at Tehran International Conservatory of (western) Music under the tutelage of Professors Tatiana Kharatian for piano, Hooshang Ostovar for Harmony, Orchestration and Composition, and the late Fereidoun Farzaneh for Theory. Aslani then joined the National Iranian Radio and Television as a composer, arranger and pianist, while giving private lessons, some of whose students later became renowned musicians in their own rights.
His abrupt immigration to the United States, in the early 1970's, opened another challenging chapter in his life.His academic scholarly training of his early twenties was augmented by graduate work at the State University of New York, Purchase College, where he was awarded a Master's degree in music (composition) under the instruction of Professor Dary John Mizzelle, and the beloved and inspiring Professor Joel Thome from the Conservatory in Music in 2007. Currently, he maintains an active piano teaching schedule for children in the Hudson Valley, Westchester, and New York area. His students have gone on to study at the Juilliard School of Music, SUNY Purchase and other major schools of music in the United States.
He is renowned in the community for his life-long conviction to philanthropy, volunteerism and altruism. Among his humanitarian contributions are the establishments of an elementary school and a high school at his place of birth.
His life-long love and companion, Alempeda (Fida or Feeda), a polyglot, medal winning and accomplished athletic champion among many other talents, was always by his side. She always supported all his activities and was a catalyst for his lifetime of success. Mr. Aslani passed away on January 28 of 2020 and exactly 7 days after his passing, Fida followed. She was not told about his death, yet they continued their journey together. One of the pillars of the Aslanis' tolerance of different cultures took root in their own mixed marriage between a Muslim and Assyrian Christian. They learned to put away their differences and to concentrate on their commonalities.
While we collaborated on the several versions of Beyond Solitude, although he was an undisputed master of his art, he made me feel as an equal which speaks to his humble and nurturing psyche. Mr. and Mrs. Aslani have touched the lives of many people around them, from hundreds of music students, like myself and my son Ara, to many others in the different communities to which they belonged, including the Iranian-American community of New York. They had no biological children, yet many peopled consider them as beloved parents and mourn their loss regularly. They are truly missed...
Homayoon Beigi, New York 2021