Aftab Darvishi

Composer Aftab Darvishi was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1987, to a musical family. She began playing the violin at the age of five, later switching to classical piano. She also learned several traditional Persian instruments including the kamancheh and setaar, in part thanks to the influence of her father, the renowned composer and music scholar Mohammad-Reza Darvishi.After studying piano at the University of Tehran, she moved to the Netherlands, studying composition for film in Amsterdam and contemporary composition in The Hague. She is currently studying for a PhD in composition at the University of Birmingham, and is a regular guest lecturer at the University of Tehran.Darvishis music combines aspects of her Western training with the deep influence of Persian music - sometimes through the use of traditional instruments, structures, modes or harmonies - reflecting a rich multiplicity of influences.She has written music for film, theatre, dance and concerts, and especially relishes multidisciplinary projects. Her work has been heard around the world. She has worked with ensembles including BBC Singers, Kronos Quartet, Orkest de Ereprijs, Helsinki Chamber Choir, Latvian Radio Choir, Riccioti Ensemble and Oerknal.Darvishi was the first non-European female winner of the Tenso Young Composers Award in 2016 for her a cappella choral piece And the world stopped, lacking you. In 2017 she was commissioned to write a piece for the Kronos Quartets "50 for the Future" project. Since then she has collaborated frequently with the ensemble.A portrait album that looks back on Darvishis 11-year journey as a composer, A Thousand Butterflies evokes a life that has crossed continents. It spans a range of styles and includes work for a variety of instrumental forces as well as electronics."When I compose, I dont think about style," Darvishi says. "Its not that logical, its not with a lot of calculation. Its more by instinct."My music is not only Persian music - its bigger than that. Its an approach to...