Integrating Iranian classical music into the Western aural skills curriculum

Eurocentrism in Western conservatories has excluded non-Western musical traditions and restricted engagement across musical cultures. This article proposes a model for integrating Iranian classical music into the curriculum at an Australian music conservatory. By identifying challenges, we argue that an initiative to engage with Iranian music beyond the mere introduction to the Dastgâh system can facilitate a more inclusive approach to aural skills teaching and encourage active engagement with non-Western musical traditions. We present an Iranian classical music aural skills module based on Dariush Talai’s ‘New Approach’. Central to this module is an interactive workshop led by an Iranian musician, featuring historical and cultural context, an overview of Talai’s modal framework, and practical exercises extending the Western aural skills approach. Building on students’ existing skills and employing traditional Iranian concepts and terminology, this intervention expands students’ knowledge of non-Western musical cultures, provides meaningful engagement, and supports further intercultural musical collaboration. Student responses were collected through an anonymous voluntary survey and analysed thematically.