News Center_ Maryam Akhondy became renowned for reviving Iran’s female vocal heritage and presenting it in contemporary form through multiple musical projects, most notable the “Banoo” ensemble and the “Sarmast” album. Her works are characterized by a vibrant character that departs from the stillness and melancholy prevalent in traditional Iranian music.

Maryam Akhondy was born in 1957 in Tehran and specialized in Persian classical and traditional music after training under Ismail Mebrtaash and Nasrollah Nasehpour, among the most prominent figures in Iranian music. She left Iran following the 1979 Islamic Revolution due to restrictions imposed on female artists, moved to Europe, and settled in Cologne, Germany, in 1986, where she continues her artistic career and the preservation of Iranian musical heritage.

Akhondy uses music to raise awareness of the obstacles women face in singing in public spaces in Iran, focusing on reviving songs passed down by women through generations. Her all‑female ensemble "Banoo" presents this heritage on international stages, enabling Iranian women's voices to reach a wide global audience.

After settling in Europe, Akhondy collaborated with other Iranian musicians in exile and performed concerts in Germany and Scandinavian countries with the traditional Iranian music ensembles "Nava" and "Chakavak." She later founded the "Barbad" ensemble, a musical group of three to five classically trained musicians. Over the years, the ensemble performed in many European cities.

The "Sarmast" project is one of Akhondy's works, created in collaboration with the "Ensemble Barbad," drawing on classical Persian poetry, particularly the poems of Hafez of Shiraz. The word "Sarmast" means intoxication in Persian, reflecting the emotional spirit of the texts underpinning the project. The album "Sarmast" was released in 2006, featuring compositions inspired by traditional Persian poetry and classical Iranian music, as part of Akhondy's effort to present this heritage in a contemporary form.

The "Banoo" ensemble is among Akhondy's most prominent works—an all‑female group founded between 1999 and 2000 as a musical project in response to the restrictions on women's singing in public spaces in Iran. In a context where female singers could not appear publicly, women's singing was confined to private spaces; they performed songs in homes, daily work, fields, and gatherings exclusive to women.

Over the years, Akhondy worked to collect and revive these traditional women's songs, presenting them in a contemporary artistic framework. This effort culminated in the 2004 release of the album "Banoo — Songs of Iranian Women," featuring a collection of songs drawn from the vocal heritage passed down through generations.

The album "Banoo," meaning "noble woman" or "distinguished woman" in Persian, represents a musical journey across various regions and cultures of Iran, highlighting the traditions of Iranian women's singing and the self‑confidence embodied in these traditions.

A large proportion of the songs are characterized by their vibrancy and energy, accompanied by percussion instruments, distinguishing them from Iranian music generally known for its calm and melancholic character. In the old folk songs, humor and satire emerge, along with glimpses of the daily and private lives of Iranian women. Until 2012, the Banoo ensemble performed concerts in Europe, Turkey, and Tunisia.

Maryam Akhondy received the "Musical Cultures" award at the 2023 WDR Jazz Awards in recognition of her musical career: "Let us listen together to the rebellious voice of Banoo."