Hesam Abedini performing with Sibarg Ensemble at USC in 2015. Photo: Marieh Mehran
Hesam Abedini
Classical Persian Music
Hesam Abedini is an Iranian–American composer, performer, and educator whose work bridges classical Persian music, jazz, Western contemporary traditions, and computer music through intercultural and polystylistic approaches. His music has been performed internationally by ensembles including the JACK Quartet, Del Sol Quartet, Eclipse Quartet, Hypercube, and loadbang. As the founding member of the Sibarg Ensemble, he develops innovative models for intercultural music-making grounded in improvisation and original composition.
Beyond composition, Hesam’s work spans scholarship, curation, film, and education. His documentary From Isfahan to Irvine, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Roshan Cultural Heritage Institute, is archived at the Library of Congress. He is also the writer for Pish Radif, an educational platform expanding access to classical Persian music. His scholarship appears in Iran Amplified: One Hundred Years of Music and Society (Ilex/Harvard University Press, 2026).
Hesam studied at the Tehran Music Conservatory, Yerevan State Conservatory, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine. He is currently Assistant Professor of Composition–Music Theory and Assistant Director of the New Music Series at California State University, Fullerton.
Hesam’s Website
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Apprenticeship Program
2025
Shaida will deepen her practice in avaz (classical Persian vocal music) through a year-long apprenticeship centered on the radif (a system of organized repertoire) and its analytical study using the pish-radif (musical prelude) system developed by Maestro Hossein Omoumi under mentor Hesam Abedini. The apprenticeship emphasizes the technique of avaz, tahrir (ornamentation), tasnif (rhythmic singing), and interpretation of Persian poetry while studying selected gushehs (melodic motifs) to understand modal relationships. Through this training, the apprentice will build artistic fluency and pedagogical skills, preparing her for performance, improvisation, and teaching within this oral tradition.
