Aida Shirazi

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Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, Aida Shirazi (1987) is a composer of acoustic and electroacoustic music. Shirazi’s music is described as ”unfolding with deliberation” by The New York Times, “well-made” and “affecting” by The New Yorker, and “unusually creative” by San Francisco Classical Voice.

In her works for solo instruments, voice, ensemble, orchestra, and electronics, she mainly focuses on timbre for organizing structures inspired by Persian and other languages and literature.

Shirazi’s music has been featured at festivals and concert series including Manifeste, Mostly Mozart, OutHear New Music Week, MATA, Marlboro Music Festival, Direct Current, Taproot, and Tehran Contemporary Music Festival in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Maison de la Radio France, Lincoln Center, and Kennedy Center. Her works are performed by Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Miranda Cuckson, International Contemporary Ensemble, Oerknal, Quince Ensemble, Ensemble Dal Niente, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Empyrean Ensemble, and Bilkent Symphony Orchestra among 

others.

Shirazi has earned her Ph.D. in composition and music theory from the University of California, Davis. She has studied with Mika Pelo, Pablo Ortiz, Kurt Rohde, Yiğit Aydın, Tolga Yayalar, Onur Türkmen, and Hooshyar Khayam. Shirazi has participated in workshops and masterclasses by Kaija Saariaho, Mark Andre, Riccardo Piacentini, Zeynep Gedizlioğlu, and Füsun Köksal, among others.

Shirazi holds her B.A. in classical piano from Tehran University of Art (Iran), and her B.M. in music composition and theory from Bilkent University (Ankara, Turkey). She has studied santoor (traditional Iranian hammered dulcimer) with Parissa Khosravi Samani. Shirazi is a class 2021-22 participant in IRCAM’s “Cursus Program in Composition and Computer Music.”

Website:
Ordered by year. Most recent works appears first

Solo Voice and Accompaniment


Soliloquy of the Unnamed for treble voice and violin (2021)
Ruba'i for treble voice and guitar (2020)
A Girl for treble voice and piano (2017)

Chamber Ensemble (5 - 9 instruments)


Blood Moon for clarinet and string quartet (2020)
Crystalline Trees for chamber ensemble (2020)
The Shadow of a Leaf in Water for chamber ensemble (2018)

Solo Instrument


Whispering in the Wind for alto flute (2020)
Longing for a distant memory... for solo violin (2018)
Latent for solo cello (2018)
Albumblatt for solo piano (2017)
One Day, The Bird Will Be Free for solo violin (2016)
Tide for piano solo (2014)

Voices and Instruments


What The Wind Will Do When You Aren't Looking for a Thousand Years for soprano, tenor, and prepared piano (2019)

Vocal Ensemble


Portrait for treble vocal quartet (2019)

Chamber Group ( 2 - 4 instruments )


Ephemera for clarinet and percussion (2019)
(Re)Visiting the Land of (Un)Known for clarinet in B flat, violin, and piano (2017)
Umbra for string quartet (2017)
Vestiges for flute and string trio (2017)

String Quartet


Umbra for string quartet (2017)

Orchestral Music


The Distorted Reminiscences of a Guardian for orchestra (2015)
(Re)Visiting the Land of (Un)Known for clarinet in B flat, violin, and piano (2017)
A Girl for treble voice and piano (2017)
Albumblatt for solo piano (2017)
Blood Moon for clarinet and string quartet (2020)
Crystalline Trees for chamber ensemble (2020)
Ephemera for clarinet and percussion (2019)
Latent for solo cello (2018)
Longing for a distant memory... for solo violin (2018)
One Day, The Bird Will Be Free for solo violin (2016)
Portrait for treble vocal quartet (2019)
Ruba'i for treble voice and guitar (2020)
Soliloquy of the Unnamed for treble voice and violin (2021)
The Distorted Reminiscences of a Guardian for orchestra (2015)
The Shadow of a Leaf in Water for chamber ensemble (2018)
Tide for piano solo (2014)
Umbra for string quartet (2017)
Vestiges for flute and string trio (2017)
What The Wind Will Do When You Aren't Looking for a Thousand Years for soprano, tenor, and prepared piano (2019)
Whispering in the Wind for alto flute (2020)