Vahid Jahandari is a transdisciplinary musician and scholar in popular music studies. award-winning composer of acoustic and electronic music, Jahandari's works have been performed and recorded in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. he has received awards, including first prizes at 2agosto and pejman competitions for his orchestral and chamber music, and commissioning includes the grammy nominee ensemble, publiquartet. Jahandari's music has been selected and performed at numerous festivals, including iscm world music days, world saxophone congress, south by southwest, seamus, international saxophone symposium, splice, society of composers, electroacoustic barn dance, ckcu-fm, midwest composers symposium, decoda, doc nyc, and many more. Jahandari is a multi-instrumentalist and improviser of primarily Persian violin, Turkish oud, and piano, working across genres and mediums. he has written music for electronic media, chamber ensemble, symphonic orchestra, wind ensemble, choir, and solo instruments. currently completing his doctorate in composition at UC Santa Cruz, Jahandari holds degrees in composition from UT Austin (M.M.), where he served as Teaching Assistant in Digital Music, and from the Tehran University of Art ( B.M.).
EDUCATION
University of California Santa Cruz | 2022 -
Doctor of Musical Arts - DMA, Music Composition
The University of Texas at Austin
Master of Music - MM, Music Composition | 2016 - 18
Teaching Assistant | MUS 319D - Foundations of Digital Music
Tehran University of Art
Bachelor of Music - BM, Music Composition | 2012 - 2016
PROMINENT ACTIVITIES
2023 Apr Del Sol Quartet at UCSC, The Spirit of Kāviani, world premiere
2022 Dec Persian Dance Music, recorded by Del Sol quartet in San Francisco
2022-23 Scholar for Peyk Magazine, the bilingual magazine in San Diego
2021 July Miracle Makers IFF, Brief Candle, Walking Shadow for multimedia, Best Choreography
2021 Apr Spring Flowers: Springfest, Quietude for violin and piano
2021 Apr Second Sundays with Decoda, Music for Solo Performer
2021 Apr Words and Music, TAO PO for soprano and fixed media
2021 Jan The Dragon for Multi Percussion Duet
2020 Sep Acoustic Frontiers – CKCU-FM, Asphyxia for double bass and fixed media
2020 May Acoustic Frontiers – CKCU-FM, Shapes for string quartet
2020 Mar Jack Quartet, Shapes for string quartet
Voxman School of Music, UI
2019 Nov Dance Gala, Struggle for Pleasure by J. Norman, solo violinist
Hancher Auditorium, UI
2019 Nov Midwest Composers Symposium, The Abyss for double bass and fixed media
Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington
2019 Sep 24+24, A Song to My Future Self, for piano, harp and baritone singer
Voxman School of Music, UI
2019 Aug Music from Home, Hell, But Cold for piano
Lakewood, WA
2019 Jun SPLICE Festival, There Was Yet No Heaven for saxophone and fixed media
Western Michigan University, MI
2019 May World Music Days, The Vulture for six-channel acousmatic
2019 Apr PubliQuartet, The Gray Forest for string quartet and fixed media
National Sawdust, NY
2019 Mar SEAMUS, The Vulture for six-channel acousmatic and a stereo layer diffusion
Berklee College of Music, MA
2019 Mar South by Southwest (SXSW), Sweet Sweet Kink, animated short film
Selected from 5,478 submissions, among 101 short films
Best Animated Film — CineKink
Best Documentary — Transform Film Festival
Best Kink — HUMP! Film Festival
Best Short Film — Star Ranch’s Texas Nudist Film Festival
Including festivals in Spain, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark,
England, Italy, Germany and many more.
2019 Mar The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Rain and Tree for choir
University of Florida, FL
2019 Jan International Saxophone Symposium, There Was Yet No Heaven
George Mason University, VA
2018 Dec featured composer at Acoustic Frontiers – CKCU-FM, The Vulture
hosted by Ralph Hopper
2018 Nov EMS60 - The 60th Anniversary of the University of Illinois Experimental Music
There Was Yet No Heaven for saxophone and electronics
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, IL
2018 Nov Electroacoustic Barn Dance, “The Vulture” for 6-channel acousmatic
Jacksonville University, FL
2018 Oct WSU ElectroAcousticMiniFest
The Blind Owl for fixed media and video art
Washington State University, Pullman, WA
2018 Sep West Fork New Music Festival, Great Noise Ensemble
Deadlock for ensemble and electronics, world premiere
Fairmont State University, WV
2018 Sep RenegadeEnsemble Call-for-Scores, "Deadlock” for ensemble and electronics
Honorable Mention
2018 July XVIII World Saxophone Congress in Zagreb, Croatia
“There Was Yet No Heaven” for saxophone and electronics
World premiere
2018 May Ears, Eyes + Feet, In the Hands Of The Winds
Collaborative works by composers and choreographers
B. Iden Payne Theatre, UT
2018 Apr Fusebox Festival, The Robosax for saxophone quartet
Recital Studio, Butler School of Music, UT
2018 Apr Sound in Sculpture, The Robosax for saxophone quartet
Gates Computer Science Complex (GDC), UT
2018 Apr Tenor singer, Mahler Symphony No. 2
UT Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerhardt Zimmermann
Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX
2018 Mar M.M. Degree Recital
Bates Hall, Butler School of Music, UT
2018 Feb Tenor bass steel pan player, UT Steel Pan Ensemble
Bates Hall, Butler School of Music, UT
2017 Oct LaTex Festival, “The Blind Owl” for fixed media, dance, and video art
Digital Media Center Theater, Louisiana State University
2017 Aug Ink&Coda Publication, Online journal of prose and music,The Vulture
2017 May Ears, Eyes + Feet, collaborative works by composers and choreographers
“The Blind Owl”, for fixed media, dance, and video art
“Amica Mea”, based on the composer pre-existing work
B. Iden Payne Theatre, The University of Texas
2017 Copyist/Composer Assistant, Bruce Pennycook, Faculty in Composition at UT
2016 Nov Hell, But Cold, for piano solo
Bates Hall, Butler School of Music, UT
2016 Nov LaTex Festival, Yellow, Hasn’t Become Red For No Reason, for fixed media
Jessen Auditorium, Butler School of Music, UT
2016 Oct Ears Concert, The Vulture for solo double bass and electronics
2016 Fall Copyist, Elliott Antokoletz, Early Development of the Symphonic Poem
Article published at Vol. 3 of the International Journal of Musicology
2015 Sept Solo tenor singer, Phonemes Requiem, Composed by E. Saboohi
Published by Spectropol & Mahoor records
2015-16 Copyist/Composer Assistant, Hamidreza Dibazar, Chair of Composition at TUA
2014-15 Tenor vocalist, Tehran Choir, Conducted by Mehdi Ghasemi, Vahdat Hall
2014 May Composer and pianist, Five movements for flute and piano, Farabi Hall, Tehran
2013 Oct Pianist, Pars Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Ali Radman, Ehsan Hall
2012 May Composer/pianist, Rondo for violin and piano, Tehran University of Art
2010 Jun Composer, Iran Zamin for tenor singer and large ensemble
Commissioned by Shiraz National TV
WORKS
2023 The Spirit of Kāviani for string quartet [10’30”]
2022 Persian Dance Music for string quartet [10’10’’]
Streets of Tehran for solo Cello [5’00”]
A Persian Etude for solo Violin [5’30”]
2021 Streaming for chamber ensemble [10’00”]
Seascapes for saxophone quartet [12’20”]
And, I speak to you for ensemble [9’30”]
Quietude for violin and piano [7’24”]
Music for Solo Performer [12’14”]
TAO PO for fixed media [7’02”]
The Dragon for Multiple Percussion Duet [10’02”]
2020 Distant Light, dance dissertation project, for fixed media [07’27”]
Brief Candle, Walking Shadow for multimedia [27’55”]
Shapes, for string quartet [7’50”]
2019 Abyss, for double bass and fixed media [7’50”]
A Letter to My Future Self, for piano, harp and baritone voice [5’40”]
Living Memories, for saxophone quartet [8’12”]
2018 The Gray Forest, for string quartet and fixed media [14’10”]
In The Hands of The Winds, for fixed media [9’43”]
The Robosax, for saxophone quartet in two movements [19’30”]
Deadlock, for ensemble and fixed media [14’15”]
Asphyxia, for double bass and fixed media [08’53”]
2017 There Was Yet No Heaven, for saxophone and fixed media [8'00"]
Before I Drown In Tears, for saxophone octet [10'08"]
The Blind Owl, for fixed media, dance, and video art [06'52"]
Chronicles of a Joker, for wind ensemble [08'48"]
Rain and Tree, for four-part of mixed voices [05'36"]
2016 Sandstorm Elegy, for string quartet and electronics [13'40"]
Yellow Hasn’t Become Red For No Reason, for fixed media [07'22"]
The Vulture, for double base and electronics [07'50"]
Dandelion, for Symphonic Orchestra [05'03"]
Hell, But Cold, for piano solo in two movements [11'08"]
The Ringing Bells of a Caravan, for symphonic orchestra [06'31"]
2015 The Checkered City, for narrator and symphonic orchestra [09'28"]
And, I Speak To You, for clarinet quintet [13'03"]
Noisy Kitchen, for fixed media, based on pre-recorded kitchenware [5'43"]
2014 I Sang, Death, for tar quartet [5'50"]
Fantasy, for symphonic orchestra [3'39"]
Invention & Fugue, for piano solo [4’37"]
Kuzeh, for fixed media, based on pre-recorded udu as the main source [6'52"]
2013 Stunned Tune, for fixed media, based on pre-recorded instruments [4'04"]
Ragtime, for piano solo [6'52"]
Alarm, for fixed media [5'02"]
Havaye Vesall, for choir and strings [4'06"]
Fantasy, for flute & piano in five movements [13'42"]
Afarinesh, digital music, short film [9'42"]
2012 Prelude, for piano solo [3'23"]
Gargur, digital music, theatrical product [9'42"]
Payan, digital music, theatrical product [12'51"]
Nocturnal, for harp solo [03'11"]
Miniature, for flute solo [02'14"]
2011 Trio, for kamancheh, cello and violin [04’03”]
Rondo, for violin & piano [04'45"]
2010 Mozartino, for string quartet [04'02"]
Iran Zamin, for chamber ensemble [03'52"]
EDUCATION
University of California Santa Cruz | 2022 -
Doctor of Musical Arts - DMA, Music Composition
The University of Texas at Austin
Master of Music - MM, Music Composition | 2016 - 18
Teaching Assistant | MUS 319D - Foundations of Digital Music
Tehran University of Art
Bachelor of Music - BM, Music Composition | 2012 - 2016
PROMINENT ACTIVITIES
2023 Apr Del Sol Quartet at UCSC, The Spirit of Kāviani, world premiere
2022 Dec Persian Dance Music, recorded by Del Sol quartet in San Francisco
2022-23 Scholar for Peyk Magazine, the bilingual magazine in San Diego
2021 July Miracle Makers IFF, Brief Candle, Walking Shadow for multimedia, Best Choreography
2021 Apr Spring Flowers: Springfest, Quietude for violin and piano
2021 Apr Second Sundays with Decoda, Music for Solo Performer
2021 Apr Words and Music, TAO PO for soprano and fixed media
2021 Jan The Dragon for Multi Percussion Duet
2020 Sep Acoustic Frontiers – CKCU-FM, Asphyxia for double bass and fixed media
2020 May Acoustic Frontiers – CKCU-FM, Shapes for string quartet
2020 Mar Jack Quartet, Shapes for string quartet
Voxman School of Music, UI
2019 Nov Dance Gala, Struggle for Pleasure by J. Norman, solo violinist
Hancher Auditorium, UI
2019 Nov Midwest Composers Symposium, The Abyss for double bass and fixed media
Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University Bloomington
2019 Sep 24+24, A Song to My Future Self, for piano, harp and baritone singer
Voxman School of Music, UI
2019 Aug Music from Home, Hell, But Cold for piano
Lakewood, WA
2019 Jun SPLICE Festival, There Was Yet No Heaven for saxophone and fixed media
Western Michigan University, MI
2019 May World Music Days, The Vulture for six-channel acousmatic
2019 Apr PubliQuartet, The Gray Forest for string quartet and fixed media
National Sawdust, NY
2019 Mar SEAMUS, The Vulture for six-channel acousmatic and a stereo layer diffusion
Berklee College of Music, MA
2019 Mar South by Southwest (SXSW), Sweet Sweet Kink, animated short film
Selected from 5,478 submissions, among 101 short films
Best Animated Film — CineKink
Best Documentary — Transform Film Festival
Best Kink — HUMP! Film Festival
Best Short Film — Star Ranch’s Texas Nudist Film Festival
Including festivals in Spain, Czech Republic, Chile, Denmark,
England, Italy, Germany and many more.
2019 Mar The Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Rain and Tree for choir
University of Florida, FL
2019 Jan International Saxophone Symposium, There Was Yet No Heaven
George Mason University, VA
2018 Dec featured composer at Acoustic Frontiers – CKCU-FM, The Vulture
hosted by Ralph Hopper
2018 Nov EMS60 - The 60th Anniversary of the University of Illinois Experimental Music
There Was Yet No Heaven for saxophone and electronics
University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, IL
2018 Nov Electroacoustic Barn Dance, “The Vulture” for 6-channel acousmatic
Jacksonville University, FL
2018 Oct WSU ElectroAcousticMiniFest
The Blind Owl for fixed media and video art
Washington State University, Pullman, WA
2018 Sep West Fork New Music Festival, Great Noise Ensemble
Deadlock for ensemble and electronics, world premiere
Fairmont State University, WV
2018 Sep RenegadeEnsemble Call-for-Scores, "Deadlock” for ensemble and electronics
Honorable Mention
2018 July XVIII World Saxophone Congress in Zagreb, Croatia
“There Was Yet No Heaven” for saxophone and electronics
World premiere
2018 May Ears, Eyes + Feet, In the Hands Of The Winds
Collaborative works by composers and choreographers
B. Iden Payne Theatre, UT
2018 Apr Fusebox Festival, The Robosax for saxophone quartet
Recital Studio, Butler School of Music, UT
2018 Apr Sound in Sculpture, The Robosax for saxophone quartet
Gates Computer Science Complex (GDC), UT
2018 Apr Tenor singer, Mahler Symphony No. 2
UT Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gerhardt Zimmermann
Bass Concert Hall, Austin, TX
2018 Mar M.M. Degree Recital
Bates Hall, Butler School of Music, UT
2018 Feb Tenor bass steel pan player, UT Steel Pan Ensemble
Bates Hall, Butler School of Music, UT
2017 Oct LaTex Festival, “The Blind Owl” for fixed media, dance, and video art
Digital Media Center Theater, Louisiana State University
2017 Aug Ink&Coda Publication, Online journal of prose and music,The Vulture
2017 May Ears, Eyes + Feet, collaborative works by composers and choreographers
“The Blind Owl”, for fixed media, dance, and video art
“Amica Mea”, based on the composer pre-existing work
B. Iden Payne Theatre, The University of Texas
2017 Copyist/Composer Assistant, Bruce Pennycook, Faculty in Composition at UT
2016 Nov Hell, But Cold, for piano solo
Bates Hall, Butler School of Music, UT
2016 Nov LaTex Festival, Yellow, Hasn’t Become Red For No Reason, for fixed media
Jessen Auditorium, Butler School of Music, UT
2016 Oct Ears Concert, The Vulture for solo double bass and electronics
2016 Fall Copyist, Elliott Antokoletz, Early Development of the Symphonic Poem
Article published at Vol. 3 of the International Journal of Musicology
2015 Sept Solo tenor singer, Phonemes Requiem, Composed by E. Saboohi
Published by Spectropol & Mahoor records
2015-16 Copyist/Composer Assistant, Hamidreza Dibazar, Chair of Composition at TUA
2014-15 Tenor vocalist, Tehran Choir, Conducted by Mehdi Ghasemi, Vahdat Hall
2014 May Composer and pianist, Five movements for flute and piano, Farabi Hall, Tehran
2013 Oct Pianist, Pars Contemporary Orchestra, conducted by Ali Radman, Ehsan Hall
2012 May Composer/pianist, Rondo for violin and piano, Tehran University of Art
2010 Jun Composer, Iran Zamin for tenor singer and large ensemble
Commissioned by Shiraz National TV
WORKS
2023 The Spirit of Kāviani for string quartet [10’30”]
2022 Persian Dance Music for string quartet [10’10’’]
Streets of Tehran for solo Cello [5’00”]
A Persian Etude for solo Violin [5’30”]
2021 Streaming for chamber ensemble [10’00”]
Seascapes for saxophone quartet [12’20”]
And, I speak to you for ensemble [9’30”]
Quietude for violin and piano [7’24”]
Music for Solo Performer [12’14”]
TAO PO for fixed media [7’02”]
The Dragon for Multiple Percussion Duet [10’02”]
2020 Distant Light, dance dissertation project, for fixed media [07’27”]
Brief Candle, Walking Shadow for multimedia [27’55”]
Shapes, for string quartet [7’50”]
2019 Abyss, for double bass and fixed media [7’50”]
A Letter to My Future Self, for piano, harp and baritone voice [5’40”]
Living Memories, for saxophone quartet [8’12”]
2018 The Gray Forest, for string quartet and fixed media [14’10”]
In The Hands of The Winds, for fixed media [9’43”]
The Robosax, for saxophone quartet in two movements [19’30”]
Deadlock, for ensemble and fixed media [14’15”]
Asphyxia, for double bass and fixed media [08’53”]
2017 There Was Yet No Heaven, for saxophone and fixed media [8'00"]
Before I Drown In Tears, for saxophone octet [10'08"]
The Blind Owl, for fixed media, dance, and video art [06'52"]
Chronicles of a Joker, for wind ensemble [08'48"]
Rain and Tree, for four-part of mixed voices [05'36"]
2016 Sandstorm Elegy, for string quartet and electronics [13'40"]
Yellow Hasn’t Become Red For No Reason, for fixed media [07'22"]
The Vulture, for double base and electronics [07'50"]
Dandelion, for Symphonic Orchestra [05'03"]
Hell, But Cold, for piano solo in two movements [11'08"]
The Ringing Bells of a Caravan, for symphonic orchestra [06'31"]
2015 The Checkered City, for narrator and symphonic orchestra [09'28"]
And, I Speak To You, for clarinet quintet [13'03"]
Noisy Kitchen, for fixed media, based on pre-recorded kitchenware [5'43"]
2014 I Sang, Death, for tar quartet [5'50"]
Fantasy, for symphonic orchestra [3'39"]
Invention & Fugue, for piano solo [4’37"]
Kuzeh, for fixed media, based on pre-recorded udu as the main source [6'52"]
2013 Stunned Tune, for fixed media, based on pre-recorded instruments [4'04"]
Ragtime, for piano solo [6'52"]
Alarm, for fixed media [5'02"]
Havaye Vesall, for choir and strings [4'06"]
Fantasy, for flute & piano in five movements [13'42"]
Afarinesh, digital music, short film [9'42"]
2012 Prelude, for piano solo [3'23"]
Gargur, digital music, theatrical product [9'42"]
Payan, digital music, theatrical product [12'51"]
Nocturnal, for harp solo [03'11"]
Miniature, for flute solo [02'14"]
2011 Trio, for kamancheh, cello and violin [04’03”]
Rondo, for violin & piano [04'45"]
2010 Mozartino, for string quartet [04'02"]
Iran Zamin, for chamber ensemble [03'52"]
© Vahid Jahandari 2016-2023. All rights reserved.