TEHRAN -- The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is to perform the world debut of Iranian composer Reza Vali's “Song Cycle: The Being of Love” from May 12 to 14, the Persian service of CHN reported on Thursday.

The concerts will be held at the Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

Since the work was inspired by the poetry of Molana Rumi, the organizers of the concert series also plan to hold an online poetry competition in commemoration of Rumi for people who have purchased tickets. The three winners will receive free tickets to the Mellon Grand Classics this September.

Reza Vali was born in Iran in 1952. He studied music at the Conservatory of Music in Tehran. In 1972, he went to Austria to study composition and music education at the Academy of Music in Vienna. He obtained a Ph.D. in music theory and composition from the University of Pittsburgh in 1985 and is currently on the faculty of the School of Music at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

His awards include the honor prize of the Austrian Ministry of Arts and Sciences, two Andrew W. Mellon Fellowships, grants from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and commissions from the Kronos Quartet, the Boston Modern Orchestra, the Seattle Chamber Players, the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic.

In December 1991, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presented him the Creative Achievement Award for the Outstanding Emerging Artist.