Biography

Arshan Najafi is a composer and live electro-acoustic performer specializing in sound, image, and words.
Recognized as an emerging talent of his generation, his works have been featured and published by Spectro Centre for New Music, Noise à Noise Records, Petrichor Records, Unexplained Sounds Group, Cold Spring Records, XOR Space, Texas Tech University, Yarava Music Group, Unerhörte Musik, Tehran International Electronic Music Festival, MUSLAB, SIMEC, ICMC Boston and Noise-Works.
He has studied music with Saba Alizadeh, Parsa Hadavi, Sohrab Motabar, and Ata Ebtekar, exploring complex musical structures with a focus on experimental soundscapes and musique concrète. Selected as a winner of Petrichor Records’ “Call for Young Iranian Composers,” he received mentorship from Chaya Czernowin, Arshia Samsaminia, Reza Vali, and Amin Sharifi.
Najafi has also been recognized in competitions and events, including the 7th Reza Korourian Electro-Acoustic Music Competition by Yarava Music Group, the”Electronic Nights” series at Texas Tech University, “Seyr” call for scores for saxophone and electronics by the Spectro Centre for New Music, MUSLAB After, ICMC Boston, Echofluxx 25 amongst others.
In 2022, his debut book, Twenty Wrong Turns, was published by Aso Publications in Tehran.
Also his debut on Noise-Works “Imaginary Crisis” was released on December 27th, 2024.

CV

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Academic Education                                     

  • Highschool Diploma in Mathematics and Physics

Private Classes                            

  • Violin Classes with Mehdi Khaledi, Masoud Eghbali, Omid Golshanikia, Shima Goshtaei and Siavash Ahmadi.
  • Kamancheh Classes with Saba Alizadeh.
  • Piano Classes with Parsa Hadavi and Masoud Eghbali.
  • Max/MSP/Jitter Classes with Sohrab Motabar.
  • SuperCollider Classes with Sohrab Motabar.
  • Arduino Classes by Vesal Javaheri.
  • Sound Synthesize Classes with Ata Ebtekar aks SOTE.
  • Music Theory Classes with Masoud Eghbali, Parsa Hadavi, Omid Golshani Kia, Shima Goshtaei, Eline Eghbali and Siavash Ahmadi.
  • Composition Classes with Armin Sanayei, Parsa Hadavi, Saba Alizadeh and Sohrab Motabar.
  • Persian Music Theory Classes with Saba Alizadeh.
  • Solfege Training and Music Theory Classes with Kiawasch Sahebnassagh.
  • One-hour Lesson with Caya Czernowin on Composition.
  • One-hour Lesson with Arshia Samsaminia on Composition.
  • One-hour Lesson with Reza Vali on Composition and Structure.
  • One-hour Lesson with Amin Sharifi on Notation and Composition.
  • One-hour Lesson with Kelariz Keshavarz on Contemporary Flute.

Workshops and Lectures                            

  • Composition Lecture by Caya Czernowin.
  • Composition Lecture by Nina C. Young.
  • Composition Lecture by Katharina Rosenberger.
  • Composition Lecture by Don Freund.
  • Composition Lecture by Ken Ueno.
  • Composition Lecture by Reza Vali.
  • Composition Lecture by Arshia Samsaminia.
  • Composition Lecture by Amin Sharifi.
  • Composition Workshop by Armin Sanayei.
  • Contemporary Flute Techniques by Kelariz Keshavarz.
  • Persian Music Theory Workshop by Ramtin Nazarijou.
  • Electronic Music History by Sohrab Motabar.
  • Arduino Workshop by Vesal Javaheri.
  • SuperCollider Workshop by Sohrab Motabar.
  • Composition Workshop by Aftab Darvishi.
  • Improvisation Workshop by Golfam Khayam.

Online Self-Studies                   

  • Online Diploma in Physical Fitness from Alison.com

Experiences

ALBUMS/COMPILATIONS AND PERFORMED/PRESENTED WORKS

  • Hearts Underwater – Yalda Raft (2020) – Noise à Noise 20.4 (Noise à Noise Records)
  • Yalda Raft (2020) – Yalda Electroacoustic Music Marathon Vol. I (Spectro Centre for New Music)
  • Transgression in Common City (2021) – Young Iranian Composers Project (Petrichor Records)
  • Rosemary (2021) – Noise à Noise 21.4 (Noise à Noise Records)
  • Imaginary Crisis. Santoor (2022) – Visions of Darkness Vol. II (Unexplained Sounds Group – Colds Spring Records)
  • Decomposition (2022) – Declare/Decay VR Exhibition (XOR Space)
  • BOOGH Symphony Electronique (2023) – Noise à Noise 23: Noise vs. Silence (Noise à Noise Records)
  • Noiseitch IV Audio/Visual (Contemporarymusik Magazine)
  • Sons de Malheur (2023) – Unhomed Objects (XOR Space)
  • Noiseitch EP Series (Self Published)
  • KET ZeroOne (2023) – Noise à Noise 23.3: Tolerance (Noise à Noise Records)
  • A Rhythm for Suffocation (2023) – Noise à Noise 23.4: Intolerance (Noise à Noise Records)
  • Fun with Words EP Series (Self Published)
  • The Railroad of Shadows for Saxophone and Fixedmedia (2023) – Seyr for Saxophone and Double Bass (Spectro Centre for New Music)
  • KET ZeroOne (2023) – Electronic Nights Concert Series (Texas Tech University)
  • Piano Alone EP Series (Self Published)
  • Infrequent Kamancheh EP Series (Self Published)
  • Basics Series (Self Published)
  • Exersynth EP Series (Self Published)
  • Fixedmedia Performance at the 6th Tehran International Electronic Music Festival (Yarava Music Group)- 2024
  • Noiseitch IV AudioVisual Performance at Chaparkhooneh Platform (2024)
  • Concert Video Performance at The Semaine International de la Musique Electroacoustique & de la Creativite (SIMEC) – (CRR d’ Amiens Metropole) – 2024
  • Imaginary Crisis III – Visual Soundscapes – MUSLAB International Electroacoustic Exhibition (MUSLAB – AFTER) – 2024
  • Muddy White (2024) – Noise à Noise 24.1 Resistance 1 (Noise à Noise Records)
  • Glum (feat. Vesal Javaheri) (2024) – Noise à Noise 24.1 Resistance 1 (Noise à Noise Records)
  • Imaginary Crisis (Noise-Works) – Solo Debut Album – 2024
  • Long Wave 15.5 – CHAOSSSA (Dublab Radio) – 2025
  • The Recognition Test # 358 – Unexplained Sounds Radio Transmission – 2025 – (Eighth Tower Radio (IT) – Extra Resonance FM (UK) – KCSB (US) – Radio Nekubi (GR) – Rough Radio (IT) – Grey Clay Radio (UK) – CITR (CA)
  • Fragments Audio/Visual Performance at Concordia University – Chaparkhooneh X VESTUDIO – 2025
  • KET ZeroOne Presentation at the ICMC Boston – 2025
  • Fragments Audio/Visual Performance at Echofluxx – Prague – 2025

COMPETITIONS AND CALL FOR SCORES/WORKS

  • Yalda Electroacoustic Music Marathon Vol. I Call for works held by Spectro Centre for New Music.
  • Young Iranian Composers Project Call for Scores held by Petrichor Records.
  • Declare/Decay VR Exhibition call for works held by XOR Space.
  • Unhomed Objects Call for works held by XOR Space.
  • 7th Reza Korourian Electroacoustic music competition call for works held by Yarava Music Group.
  • Seyr Call for Scores for Saxophone and Double Bass held by Spectro Cenre for New Music
  • Call for Electronic Works held by Texas Tech University.
  • Call for Electroacoustic Wroks held by MUSLAB – AFTER
  • Call for Works held by FOCAM (Washington State University)
  • Call for Works held by ICMC Boston
  • Call for Experimental Audio/Visual Works held by Echofluxx Prague

PERFORMANCES

  • Imaginary Crisis Electroacoustic Concert (June 2023 – Tehran)
  • The Feeling of Sounds Electroacoustic Concert (February 2024 – Tehran)
  • The Feeling of Sounds Electroacoustic Concert (July 2024 – Tehran)
  • Live Mixing with Action Ensemble Public Rehearsal (July 2024 – Tehran)
  • Live Mixing with Action Ensemble Free Improvisation Performance (July 2024 – Tehran)
  • Fixedmedia Performance at 6th Tehran International Electronic Music Festival (September 2024 – Tehran)
  • Improvisation with SuperCollider at VESTUDIO (September 2024 – Karaj)
  • Free Improvisation with Sohrab Motabar and Vesal Javaheri (October 2024 – Karaj)
  • Live Musique Concrete Improvisation with Recordings from Mehdi Behbudi at VATTTAN Projects (December 2025 – Tehran)
  • Live Electro-Acoustic Performance at the Music Museum of Iran at the 2nd CMM Festival (January 2025 – Tehran)
  • Live Mixing with Action Ensemble at the Music Museum of Iran at the 2nd CMM Festival (January 2025 – Tehran)
  • Live Private No-Input Mixing Improvisation (February 2025 – Tehran)
  • Live Audio/Visual Performance with Sohrab Motabar at the Music Museum of Iran (March 2025 – Tehran)

SOUND RECORDING/ENGINEERING

  • Several Live Classical/Contemporary Concert Sound Recording at Iran Music Museum.
  • Painting Short Film Sound Recording Directed by Fariba Norouzi.
  • Several Live Classical/Contemporary Concert Sound Engineering for Iran Music Museum and Contemporarymusik Magazine.
  • Co-Sound Engineering for 6th TIEMF.
  • Sound Engineering and Live Recording for Matbakh-e Sowt Electronic Ensemble at CMM Festival.
  • Sound Engineering and Live Recording Action Ensemble at CMM Festival.
  • Sound Engineering and Live Recording for Electronic Music Performance for Shaahin Peymani at CMM Festival.
  • Several Live Classical/Contemporary/Electronic Concerts Sound Engineering and Live Recording for Iran Music Museum and Contemporarymusik Magazine.
  • Main Sound Engineer and Recorder at the 2nd CMM Festival.
  • Sound Recording and Engineering for Golfam Khayam Improvisation Workshop at the 2nd CMMF.

FILM COMPOSING

  • Doggy Gloaming directed by Mojtaba Zarghampour and Mahdi Hosseingholi.
  • Another Night directed by Mahdi Hosseingholi and Mojtaba Zarghampour.
  • Reflection directed by Mahdi Abbasabadi.
  • Bakhtak directed by Mahdi Hosseingholi and Mojtaba Zarghampour.
  • Ha Ha Ha Directed by Mahdi Hosseingholi and Mojtaba Zarghampour

PUBLISHED BOOKS

  • Twenty Wrong Turns Published by Aso Publications – 2023 – Tehran

FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHY

         •       Several published photos on the high-prestige 1x

         •       The Depart Photobook

         •       Commercial Photography for SANA shopping center

         •       Doggy Gloaming Film photography

         •       Another Night Film photography

         •       Reflection Film photography

         •       Awarded photographer at 35awards

         •       Azar 24 Film photography

         •       Commercial photography for Coffee House 54

         •      Aftab Darvishi Composition Workshop Photography at CMMF

FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNING

        •        Multiple Logo Designs

        •        Multiple Poster Designs

        •        Multiple Motion Designs

        •        Multiple Business Card Designs

        •        Multiple Portfolio Designs

FREELANCE VIDEOGRAPHY

         •       Main videographer at THEOne Iran

         •       Commercial videography for SANA shopping center

         •       Junior commercial and film Colorist

         •       Commercial videography for Coffee House 54

         •       Main videographer at Contemporarymusik Magazine Festival

         •      Concert Videography for 2nd CMM Festival

         •      Workshop Videography for 2nd CMM Festival

         •      Commercial Videography for Redleaf Studio