About

Sepehr Pirasteh (He/They/او) is a composer, conductor, and interdisciplinary artist born and raised in Shiraz, Iran. His compositions draw on Persian classical and folk traditions, as well as contemporary classical music vocabularies, to express his deep concerns and fears about the political and social realities of the world we live in. Through his art, Sepehr reflects on his personal journey as an immigrant and his commitment to activism. His works have been commissioned and performed by ensembles, including the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, MISE-EN Ensemble, Network for New Music, Arcana New Music Ensemble, ENA Chamber Opera Company, Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Argus String Quartet, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Pushback Ensemble, Unheard-of Ensemble, American Composers’ Forum Philadelphia Chapter, Orquestra Criança Cidadã, Hole in the Floor, and members of the Fifth House Ensemble. His music has been performed internationally in Argentina, Brazil, Iran, and the United States. Sepehr has also received fellowships from Harvard University's Fromm Foundation (Composers Conference) and the Presser Foundation and has been featured in programs such as the American Composers Orchestra’s EarShot Readings, Philadelphia Fringe Festival, the CCI Initiative, and the Fresh Inc Festival.

As a conductor, Sepehr pursued his Master's Degree in Orchestral Conducting at Central Michigan University, where he studied under Dr. José-Luis Maurtua. During his time there, he served as the artistic director and conductor of Central Michigan University’s New Music Ensemble, Pierrot Ensemble, and Concert Orchestra, while also fulfilling the role of assistant conductor for the CMU Symphony Orchestra. While residing in Michigan, Sepehr conducted the Vintage Community Orchestra. In 2020, he began serving as the director of the Temple Composers’ Orchestra (TCO). Sepehr has also been invited to guest conduct for the ENA Ensemble and Alter Ego Chamber Opera Company. He is currently the artistic director and conductor of Temple University’s New Music Ensemble. Throughout his conducting career, Sepehr has been deeply passionate about premiering new works by young and living composers.

Sepehr earned his M.M. degree in Composition and Orchestral Conducting from Central Michigan University, following his B.A. in Composition from the Tehran University of Arts in Iran. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Music Composition at Temple University, where his research focuses on political music in Iran and the Iranian diaspora, the dynamics of hegemony in performance arts, the intersection of art and activism, and the role of music under totalitarian regimes.

Sepehr is based in Philadelphia and plays Persian Kamancheh and Tanbour. He is the co-founder and artistic director of the Shiraz Ensemble, which has collaborated with arts organizations such as the Asian Arts Initiative, Bowerbird, and Fire Museum Presents.