Karen Keyhani

 

Karen Keyhani (b.1979) belongs to the new movement of contemporary music in Iran. A movement that has its roots equally the same in Persian classical, in music of the region and in Western Contemporary Classical Music. As a composer and santour virtuoso(The santoor is a Persian trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer) he has inspired by contemporary and classical poetry as well as traditional music.

Karen's music covers a wide range of contemporary classical, Persian traditional, collaborative improvisation, new age, and music for film, theatre, performance art and children's  musical theatre. His music is performed by several ensembles such as Tehran Symphonic Orchestra,  Divertimento (Milan), Mise-en (New York City), Matka (Geneva), Maroon Trio (Kansas City), London New Wind Festival ensemble, Tehran Chamber orchestra, Scheherazade Quartet and Talalyan Quartet among others. Thus far, he released four solo and collaborative albums in Iran and United States and his scores have been published by Part publications in Tehran during recent years.

Karen Keyhani was selected in 2013 by République et canton de Genève and EOFA (Embassy of Foreign Artists, Geneva) as composer in residence (one of three residents out of 200 artists) for a joint project with MATKA ensemble of contemporary music.

Keyhani's piece As Far As Possible for santour and ensemble was performed in 60th Venice Biennale of Contemporary Music by Divertimento ensemble conducted by Sandro Gorli, October 2016.

He is a lecturer on Analysis and Composition in Art University of Tehran and The Music School for Girls, Tehran, since 2011. As a guest professor he has made number of seminars and master classes on Persian classical music and microtonal music in HEM (Geneva music university), Milan Conservatory (Italy), ISI (Indonesia)  etc.

www.karenkeyhani.com