Soheil Shirangi
Born on December 5, 1987, in Gorgan, Iran, he is a composer, director, and music educator with over 14 years of experience in teaching and creating music. Graduate Assistant at San Francisco State University, currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Music Composition, he is an active member of the National Association of Composers, USA (NACUSA). His career spans numerous international accolades and collaborations in contemporary, classical, and experimental music, with performances across Iran, Greece, Italy, Brazil, Germany, and the United States, etc.

As the founder and artistic director of Dream House Ensemble, He has championed contemporary music performances in Tehran and beyond, while mentoring students in piano, composition, and music theory.

His creative work has earned numerous awards, including recognition at the Tehran International Electronic Music Festival and the Orginsky International Composition Competition. He has directed performances at notable festivals such as the MUSLAB International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition and the Tehran Contemporary Music Festival. His enduring passion for composition and his commitment to nurturing new talent continue to shape his contributions to the global music scene.

Education, Courses, and Workshops

  • 2025 – Specialized Composition Course, San Francisco State University, with Professor Rossen

  • 2024 – Private Composition Studies, San Francisco State University, with Professor Sabey

  • 2024–2025 – Specialized Article Research Course, San Francisco State University, with Dr. Ellison

  • 2021 (May): Participated in the Really Spicy Opera Workshop, writing an aria for a soprano.

  • 2020 (August): Opportunity for writing solo work with Wichita Symphony Workshop.
  • 2019 (August): Scholarship holder at the Hamburg Media Festival, participating in classes and workshops on Film Music, Advertising Music, Game Music, and Sound Design, Hamburg, Germany.
  • 2018: Contemporary Music Center Master Class with Professor Dimitri Papageorgiou at Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2018: Electronic Music Master Class with Professor Joachim Heintz at Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2015: Modern composition courses with Professor Nader Mashayakhi at Mohamad Esmaeili Institute, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2014: Conducting courses with Shahrdad Rohani at Pars Institute, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2014: Studied composition (Harmony, Counterpoint, Form, and Analysis) with Ardavan Vosoughi, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2013-2014: Graduated from Tehran Conservatory in Music Player Course, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2014: Completed a writing orchestra course with Mitriau Vadim (from Tchaikovsky Conservatory), Tehran, Iran.
  • 2014: Attended a classical vocal course with Mitriau Vadim (from Tchaikovsky Conservatory), Tehran, Iran.
  • 2013: Participated in a piano course with Valentin Rokamanykvf (from Tchaikovsky Conservatory), Tehran, Iran.
  • 2010: Studied piano with Bahram Dehghanyar, Tehran, Iran.
  • 1999: Began studying music (Guitar) with Hossein Tavasolinia in Gorgan, Iran.

Teaching Experience

  • Graduate Assistantship, San Francisco State University (Fall 2025)
    • Assisted in MUS 403 (Chromatic Harmony) under Professor Benjamin Sabey
  • Graduate Assistantship, San Francisco State University (Spring 2025)
    • Assisted in MUS 370 (Open Ensemble) and MUS 420 (20th Century Techniques) under Professor Benjamin Sabey
    • Assisted in MUS 232 (Diatonic Harmony) under Professor Jono Kornfeld
  • Instructor in Piano, Composition, and Music Theory (2010–Present)
    • Taught at renowned music academies in Tehran, including Nogah, Jam, and Samin Academy
    • Provided comprehensive training in piano performance, composition, music theory, harmony, and counterpoint
    • Privately mentored students, preparing them for competitions, professional performances, fostering both technical mastery and artistic expression

Leadership Roles

  • Founder & Artistic Director, Dream House Ensemble (2018-present): Focused on performing contemporary compositions in Tehran and beyond
  • Member and Supervisor, Iran Philharmonic Choir (2016–2023): Supervisor of the Bass Ensemble since 2019
  • Manager, Parsik Ensemble (2012–2016): A multi-genre ensemble featuring piano, strings, percussion, and traditional instruments

Awards, Recognitions, and Scholarships

2025

  • Recipient of a Scholarship, San Francisco State University
  • Recipient of the Kyriakos Karababas Memorial Scholarship

2024

  • Scholarship Recipient, San Francisco State University
  • Recognition for Participation, MUSLAB International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition, Prometeo Theater, Quito, Ecuador

2022

  • Second Place, CBU University Composition Scholarship for Samat (Duet for Violin and Cello)
  • Recognition for Participation, Alfred Schnittke Akademie International

2020

  • Third Place, Orginsky International Composition Competition for Orchestra, Belarus

2019

  • Recognition for Performance as Director of Dream House Ensemble, 4th Tehran Contemporary Music Festival
  • Scholarship Holder, Hamburg Media Festival

2018

  • Best Composer Nominee, 33rd Fajr Music Festival
  • Diploma Recipient, III International Contest of Choral Composing (A. D. Kastalsky)
  • Recognition for Participation, SIMN Festival, Curitiba Theater, Paraná, Brazil

2017

  • Second Place, Tehran International Electronic Music Festival

Affiliations

  • Since 2024: Membership in the National Association of Composers, USA (NACUSA), as well as the San Francisco chapter.
  • Since 2016: Member of Iran’s House of Music Composers and the Contemporary Music Center.

Performance Works

2025

  • Aug 18: How Much – How Little (for Baritone and Electronics) performed by Andrew White (baritone) and David Wolfson (piano) at The Ellington Room, Manhattan Plaza, New York City.
  • Aug 8: Ahimsa (for Solo Organ) performed by David Bohn at Ozaukee Congregational Church, Grafton, Wisconsin, as part of the Organ Historical Society 2025 National Convention.
  • May 12: Amor Fati (For Orchestra) read by San Francisco State University orchestra, by conducting Zakarias Grafilo at Music hall.
  • May 5: The Shadows(For Electroacoustic, Piano, Baritone, Alto, Trombone and Flute) Performed by himself and Rafael Rodriquez and Jess Getter in Knuth Hall at San Francisco State University.
  • April 27: “Navaye Mahzoon” (Solo Piano No. 3), performed by himself at the NACUSA event, Center for New Music, San Francisco.
  • April 15: String Quartet No.3(First movement) read by Mivos Ensemble at San Francisco State University.
  • April 14: The Vital Sounds(For Fixed Media And Accordion) introduced in Radiophrenia.
  • April 13: “When Words Live “(2025), for amplified voice and electronics performed by Yifan Shao as part of the 2025 Vocalverse repertoire at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music at Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall.
  • April 4: Eshareh (for Flute and Fixed Media), introduced and performed by Lisa Bost-Sandberg on Friday, as part of the “Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame” concert series by Vox Novus.

2024

  • December 6: Dyslexia (For Microtonal E-Piano) — Performed at the Instruments Symposium, Organon Research Group, University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, Austria.
  • December 2-6: Hypothesis No.2 — Performed at MUSLAB International Electroacoustic Music Exhibition, Prometeo Theater, Quito, Ecuador.
  • September 14: Maasoo (For Saxophone Quartet) — Performed at Brand Library Recital Hall by TC4 Ensemble.
  • June 8: Maasoo (For Saxophone Quartet) — Introduced by TC4 Ensemble in an online Composer’s Voice project.
  • June 1: Katibeh (Duet for Flute and Guitar) — Flute: Hossein Ebadollahi / Guitar: Bence Hartl; Recorded at Alpo Studio.
  • January 2: Rahe Rastgari (For Soprano, Alto, Baritone, and Piano) — Performed in four movements at the Opening of Toorandokht Festival, Ghalam Hall, Iranian Book, Tehran, Iran.

2023

  • October 27: Homeland (For Fixed Media) — Performed in the virtual section at the 7th Annual Research Conference on Contemporary Composition at the University of North Georgia.
  • March 22: Samat (Duet for Violin and Cello) — Featured in Steve Danielson Radio’s composer works program.
  • March 1: Navaye Mahzoon (Solo Piano No.3) — Performed by Soheil Shirangi, Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • January 28: Samat (Duet for Violin and Cello) — Performed by Brian Bromberg and Oliver Page.

2022

  • July 2: Short Etude for Solo Piano — Performed by Roxana Baldor at La Scala de San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • May 24: Doubt (For Flute and Piano) — Performed by Meysam Ghdrati and Siavash Damirian at the Music Museum of Iran.
  • April 19: Crossing on the Way East (For Piano and Duduk) — Collaborative work with Thomas Piercy at New York Opera Studio.
  • April 16: The Collection of Suspension (Suspension No.1+2+3) — Performed in Averill Park, NY, USA at the first Arts Letters & Numbers event of the spring.

2021

  • December 31: Ghased (For Tenor and Piano) — Performed by Rashid Vatandust at Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • December 29: Abandoned Land (For Cello and Fixed Media) — Performed by Ulrike Brand.
  • November 21: Suspension No.1 (For Accordion and Fixed Media) — Performed at Audiovisual Frontiers (Virtual Exhibition), University of California, Riverside.
  • November 18: ROJA (For Solo Tenor Saxophone) — Performed during Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring saxophonist Drew Joseph Hosler.
  • November 5: Samat (Duet for Violin and Cello) — Performed by Ali Jafari Pouyan and Mehrdad Alami, Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • October 30: Miniatur No.1 (For Solo Cello) — Performed at the University of North Georgia by Esther Morgan-Ellis.
  • July 21: Karma (For Piccolo and Flute) — Performed at New Music for Piccolo and Flute by Beth Ratay.
  • July 7: Trauma (For Accordion and Two Cellos) — Broadcast by ArpaViva Music from Glasgow, Scotland.
  • June 22: Short Etude for Solo Piano — Performed by Roxana Baldor in Concert Hall, Argentina.
  • June 16: Your Concept (For Piano, Electronics, and Spoken Words) — Performed at “Deterritorializing the Realm of New Music” during Suoni Per Il Popolo Festival by Anoush Moazzeni.
  • June 3: I Brought a Pie Aria (For Soprano and Piano) — Performed by Bree Nichols (Soprano) and Warren Kim (Piano) at The Really Spicy Opera Program.
  • April 15: Solo Piano No.1 — Performed by Soheil Shirangi, Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • March 27: Short Whisper (For Solo Bass Flute) — Performed at the Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame project by Lisa Cella at the University of Baltimore Concert Hall.
  • February 5: Mehre Penhan (For A Cappella Choir) — Performed by Iran Philharmonic Choir, Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • January: Lament for Theodore (For Solo Bass Flute) — Performed and recorded in the Phasma Recital Project by Iwona Glinka, Athens, Greece.

2020

  • October 11: The Hypothesis No.2 (For Fixed Media) — Broadcast on Radio Kapital, Poland.
  • October 5: The Childhood Dream (For Toy Piano) — Performed by David Bohn, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
  • September 25 & 26: The Hypothesis No.2 (For Fixed Media) — Performed at the 38th International Conference of the World Confederation of Electroacoustic Music, online from the Polish Academy of Music, Krakow.
  • August 16 & September 20: Miniatur No.3 (For Solo Violin) — Online performances by Holly Mulcahy (Wichita Symphony Orchestra Project).
  • May 26: The Vital Sounds (For Fixed Media and Accordion) — Collaboration with Lake Radio in a live release project.
  • April: Suspension No.1 (For Accordion and Fixed Media) — Performed by French artist Benoit Ray in a collaborative online project.
  • February: Summer (Fixed Media) — Performed at Afarinesh Gallery as part of the After the Descent Project, Isfahan, Iran.

2019

  • November 16: Music on Mohamad Azarm Poem — Performed with Dream House Ensemble at Sound Project No.5, Emarat Ruberu, Tehran, Iran.
  • July 27: Homeland (For Fixed Media) — Performed by Yarava Group at the closing of the 3rd International Tehran Electronic Music Festival, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
  • June 20: Indemnity (For 2 Accordions and Fixed Media) — Performed by Dream House Ensemble at the Fourth Contemporary Music Festival, Tehran, Iran.
  • June 14: Derealization (For Duet Marimba and Bass Clarinet) — Premiered by Transient Canvas at Longy School of Music Conservatory Hall, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
  • May: The Remarks No.4 (For Solo Flute) — Recorded and performed in Phasma Recital Project by Iwona Glinka, Athens, Greece.
  • March 6: The Faulty Sequence No.2 (For Solo Harp) — Performed by Olivia Jageurs in a collaborative online project.
  • January 11: The Hypothesis No.1 (For Fixed Media) — Performed by Dream House Ensemble at Niavaran Hall, Tehran, Iran.

2018

  • December 5: Trauma (For Accordion and Two Cellos) — Performed by Icon Art Trio at Thalia State Philharmonic Hall, Transylvania, Romania.
  • November 23: Suspension No.2 (For Electronic Voices & Prepared Piano) — Performed at Sprengel Museum, Hannover, Germany.
  • September 19: The Hypothesis No.3 (For Multi-Channel Electronic) — Performed at Simn Festival, Curitiba Parana, Brazil.
  • June 22: Suspension No.2 (For Electronic Voices & Prepared Piano) — Performed at the Body, Light, Sound Festival, Luigi Cherubini Conservatory, Florence, Italy.
  • April 27: The Faulty Sequence No.1 (For Electroacoustic) — Performed at the Third Contemporary Music Festival, Tehran, Iran.
  • April 22: Suspension No.2 (For Electronic Voices & Prepared Piano) — Performed at Off Borders Festival, Thessaloniki, Greece.
  • February 21: The Remarks No.3 (For Solo Bass Flute) — Performed by Daniela Mars in a collaborative online project.

2017

  • September 2: Suspension No.2 (For Electronic Voices & Prepared Piano) — Performed by Professor Joachim Heintz at Da Hall, Tehran, Iran.

2016

  • September 1: String Quartet No.1 and String Quartet No.2 — Performed by A4 Ensemble at Tehran Book Store, Tehran, Iran.

2013

  • September 1: My House is Cloudy — Performed by Parsik Ensemble at Jamejam Studio, Tehran, Iran.

Performances:

  • 2025
  • December 6: , Performed as a pianist and leader with Dream House Ensemble at the 3rd Contemporary Music Magazine Festival at the Tehran Music Museum, presenting Accords of Our Time No.1 & No.2 by Idin Samimi Mofakham.
  • May 5: The Shadows(For Electroacoustic, Piano, Baritone, Alto, Trombone and Flute) Performed by himself and Rafael Rodriquez and Jess Getter in Knuth Hall at San Francisco State University.
  • April 27, 2025: “Navaye Mahzoon” (Solo Piano No. 3), performed at the NACUSA event, Center for New Music, San Francisco.
  • 2023
  • March 8, 2023: Performance of Ave Maria by Giulio Caccini with Elmira Bagheri at Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • March 1, 2023: Performance of Navaye Mahzoon (Solo Piano No. 3) by Soheil Shirangi at Saba Studio, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2022
  • July 8, 2022: Performance with Dream House Ensemble at the first Contemporary Music Magazine Festival at Tehran Music Museum Hall.
  • April 19, 2022: Performance of Crossing on the Way East (for Piano and Duduk), a collaborative work with Thomas Piercy, at New York Opera Studio.
  • April 16, 2022: Performance of Suspension Collection (Suspension No. 1, 2, and 3) at Averill Park, NY, United States during the first Arts Letters & Numbers event of the spring.
  • 2021
  • December 31, 2021: Piano performance of original work Ghased at Saba Studio.
  • December 4, 2021: Rehearsal and recording of The Cause of My Existence at Sorena Hall, Tehran, based on text by Ai Weiwei and translated by Ali Ghanbari.
  • April 15, 2021: Solo piano performance of Solo Piano No. 1 (original composition) at Saba Studio.
  • April 15, 2021: Solo piano performance of Für Alina (1976) by Arvo Pärt at Saba Studio.
  • May 28, 2021: Recording with Dream House Ensemble for the Variations Theme Album at Saba Studio, Tehran. The music was based on texts by John Cage and translated by Ali Ghanbari.
  • 2020
  • September 26, 2020: Recording with Dream House Ensemble of part of the film score Koyaanisqatsi (1982) by Philip Glass.
  • February 22, 2020: Performance at Samandarian Hall with the Iran Philharmonic Choir, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2019
  • November 16, 2019: Performance with Dream House Ensemble in the fifth project of EMARAT ROOBEROO at Tehran, a musical performance based on the poems of contemporary poet Mohammad Azarm.
  • July 20, 2019: Performance with Dream House Ensemble at the 3rd Tehran Electronic Music Festival featuring works by Karlheinz Stockhausen.
  • June 21, 2019: Performance with Dream House Ensemble at the 4th Tehran Contemporary Music Festival featuring works by John Cage and Christian Wolff.
  • June 8, 2019: Performance with Dream House Ensemble of C. Terry Riley’s work at Day Show House in collaboration with Yarava Music Group.
  • May 2019: Requiem (Dvořák) with the Iran Philharmonic Choir at Vahdat Hall, Tehran, Iran.
  • February 22, 2019: Performance with Dream House Ensemble of avant-garde composer Lamont Young’s works at Gallery No. 14, Tehran.
  • January 11, 2019: Performance with Dream House Ensemble for the second project entitled Fixed Sounds featuring works by contemporary foreign and Iranian composers at Niavaran Cultural Center Gallery, Tehran. Notable pieces included works by John Cage, Lamont Young.
  • 2018
  • December 13, 2018: Performance with Dream House Ensemble in the first presentation of The Indefinites by John Cage at Ace Gallery, Tehran.
  • November 2018: Performance at Spreangel Museum, Hannover, Germany.
  • January 2018: Fajr Ceremony with the Iran Philharmonic Choir at Vahdat Hall, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2017
  • September 2017: Samandarian Ceremony with the Iran Philharmonic Choir at Iranshahr Hall, Tehran, Iran.
  • August 2017: Mass Missalonga (Mozart) with the Iran Philharmonic Choir at Rudaki Hall, Tehran, Iran.
  • February 2017: Performance with the Iran Philharmonic Choir at Milad Hall, Tehran, Iran.
  • January 2017: Performance with the Iran Philharmonic Choir at Vahdat Hall, Tehran, Iran.
  • 2016 and before
  • September 2016: Performance with A4 Ensemble at Bufeketab, Tehran, Iran.
  • October 2013: Performance with Parsik Ensemble at Jamejam, Tehran, Iran.

Articles & Presentations:

Google Scholar Profile: A collection of published research, articles, and academic contributions is available at:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=aANsJsYAAAAJ&hl=en

Analysis of Poème Électronique by Edgard Varèse
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 — San Francisco State University, Class: MUS 716 Graduate Theory Seminar, Professor Ben Sabey

Analysis of Stimmung by Karlheinz Stockhausen
Wednesday, October 15, 2025 — San Francisco State University, Class: MUS 716 Graduate Theory Seminar, Professor Ben Sabey

Beyond the Octave: The Influence of Non-Western Tuning Systems on Western Contemporary Music

Publication: Will be published in Volume VI of Mackingerverlag (Expected January 2026) More Information
Presented during: Day 1 of the VI International Symposium: Mikrotöne – Small Is Beautiful
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 — Online presentation as part of the program
Hosted by: Mozarteum University Salzburg / Sacellum Church

Beyond the Octave explores how non-Western tuning systems—particularly those derived from Persian and other modal traditions—have influenced Western contemporary music. It examines the intersections of microtonality, timbre, and cultural expression, revealing how cross-cultural engagement reshapes modern compositional thought. By drawing on both historical and personal perspectives, the paper illustrates how “beyond the octave” thinking challenges conventional tonal boundaries and expands our understanding of sound, identity, and artistic modernity.

Analysis of Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune by Claude Debussy
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 — San Francisco State University, Class: Music 710

Analysis of Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor by Ludwig van Beethoven
Wednesday, February 19, 2025 — San Francisco State University, Class: Music 710

“Resonance of Worship”: Religious Themes in William Byrd’s Sacred and Secular Music (2025)
Supervisor: Dr. Paul Ellison
Graduate Student: San Francisco State University
Presentation:

  • Published on December 24, 2025, in eScholarship, UCLA Library, Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library Collection https://escholarship.org/uc/item/45f1r181
  • Thursday, May 15, 2025 — San Francisco State University, MUS 751: The Graduate Renaissance Seminar

“It’s Better Not to Know About a Work of Art Before Encountering It” (2024)
Supervisor: Dr. Paul Ellison
Graduate Student: San Francisco State University
Presentations:

  • Published on February 11, 2025, in eScholarship, UCLA Library, Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library Collectionhttps://escholarship.org/uc/item/75x1h1xz#main
  • Thursday, December 5, 2024 — San Francisco State University, Class: Music 700
  • Saturday, November 9, 2024 — 3rd Conference of the Center for Electroacoustic Music (CEAM), Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory

Katibeh (Duet for Flute and Guitar)Score

Year of Creation: Spring 2014  Rewrite & Final Edit: 2024
Performers: Flute – Hossein Ebadollahi • Guitar – Bence Hartl
Recorded at: Alpo Studio (by Maziar Bababashi)
Listen on SoundCloud

Katibeh (meaning “inscription”) is inspired by my personal encounter with the poetic world of Mehdi Akhavan Sales, one of Iran’s great modern poets. The work translates the imagery and emotional depth of his inscription into a musical dialogue between flute and guitar. Through contrasting textures and lyrical gestures, the duet reflects a sense of reflection, longing, and timeless beauty—an echo of words carved into sound.

Published on February 1, 2025, in eScholarship, UCLA Library, Walter H. Rubsamen Music Library, Contemporary Music Score Collection
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8f508174

List of Published Works

Albums

Single Tracks