How Music Found Its Place at Danaa School

For a long time, Danaa School was known as a space for storytelling, language, and culture — a small corner of the internet where Persian-speaking families could gather around shared memories and learning. But something was missing, something that kept returning in conversations with parents and students:

Where is the music?

Music has always been one of the strongest threads running through Persian culture. It carries emotions that words cannot always reach. It ties generations together, from lullabies sung at bedtime to melodies heard at celebrations and long summer evenings. So when Danaa School began imagining what the next chapter of its platform could look like, music seemed like a natural step — but they needed the right person to lead it.

That person turned out to be Mahyar Tahmasebi, a name many readers might recognize. As a co-founder of the beloved Iranian band “Palet,” and a respected cellist and composer, Mahyar has spent years exploring the emotional depth of music. But beyond the stage and studio, he has always been passionate about one thing: helping more people discover their relationship with sound.

The first conversation between Mahyar and the Danaa School team was not about classes or course structures. It was about something simpler — the feeling of hearing music that reminds you of home. They talked about childhood songs, about instruments left behind during immigration, about the way music can create belonging even when languages and borders change. And in that moment, something clicked.

A partnership began.

Mahyar agreed to lead the Music Department at Danaa School, not as an add-on or a side project, but as a full artistic direction — a space where students could explore creativity at their own pace, and where music could be understood not only as a skill, but as a language.

The plan developed slowly and organically. Instead of rushing to create courses, Mahyar spent weeks talking to families, asking what their children enjoyed, what instruments they were curious about, and how parents imagined music fitting into their daily lives. Many expressed that they wanted their kids to reconnect with Persian music, but they also wanted modern approaches — rhythm exercises, creativity workshops, and ways to build confidence through sound.

The result is a program shaped not from a textbook, but from real stories. Lessons will focus on creativity, listening, rhythm, and expression, making them accessible even to students who have never touched an instrument before. And because the classes will run through Danaa School’s familiar online environment, children from anywhere — London, Berlin, Toronto, Melbourne — will be able to join without distance becoming a barrier.

One of the most beautiful parts of this new chapter is how naturally it fits into Danaa School’s mission. For a platform dedicated to culture and learning, adding music is not an expansion — it is a return to something deeply rooted. Many parents have said that their children already respond strongly to music at home; now they will finally have a structured, inspiring space to explore it.

Mahyar himself says that what excites him the most is seeing students discover their own voices. “Music doesn’t always start with an instrument,” he says. “Sometimes it starts with listening — listening to yourself, your memories, your emotions. And from there, everything grows.”

With his guidance, the Music Department at Danaa School is set to become a home for curiosity and creativity. It will bring a new dimension to the platform, giving families another way to stay connected to their cultural roots while also encouraging children to build new ones.

There is something hopeful about this moment — the beginning of a new melody woven into the identity of Danaa School. It marks not just an addition, but a transformation. And for many families, it might become the start of a lifelong relationship with music.

For updates about the upcoming music workshops and programs, you can visit the Danaa school’s official website.