https://www.kimiahesabi.com/home daily 1.0 2025-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/4d6f29ad-1302-4b22-a341-36013459232d/Neera_Front_3000x3000_300dpi.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/7ebea6be-96d6-406d-aa92-5239435253eb/Kimia+Hesabi+headshot.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/3986ab81-c2f0-47af-b5b1-732b97966591/62391525-C823-47F9-B498-169578C0913B.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/abc63d50-e6fb-4b86-b592-54e36b515903/34F86429-AAD9-480E-AA79-9DA3E31532CE.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/cc173cb4-a44f-4374-8529-63b9be3c5a5f/Neera+group+photo++copy.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/a486b085-03f5-472b-8124-ea433f1f1046/3D571321-06E0-4C92-A183-71E1507D558A.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/6fa7f8c2-a951-42c2-ba83-e68484fe4873/12238494_722944891183717_6967380411436823914_o.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/73cb6c72-612b-4926-8c87-26cd2e3faf6e/CC5E7E9B-AB19-48B4-9B88-8C1A59E3B4F0.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/2d768160-b3ac-4f0b-bd03-c592145feb69/12232955_722944877850385_6876363993174731915_o.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/1643235548918-GU2ZBNM6L5EGVDI222OE/Screen+Shot+2022-01-26+at+5.18.48+PM.png Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/8bfb7a19-ad4f-44f4-a1b6-3171a1b616dd/58291F82-77A5-4680-9D67-F6F028A8C7EC.jpeg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/77d6fbb2-cace-4b74-bec8-675d994f814d/IMG_1E8DAECC1B51-1.jpeg Home https://www.kimiahesabi.com/teaching daily 0.75 2025-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/0184dee8-88e4-4851-8ce0-edd28c8ca5c7/29196956_10156287911167996_3888384040830500864_n.jpg Teaching - Teaching Statement Being raised by two amazing musicians, I value the importance of music education, and the work and preparation that goes into creating a successful music studio. Learning from my parents as well as my mentors throughout my career, I try to understand each student’s specific needs and to design a path for them that fits their goals best. I try to get to know each student’s unique personality and to help them feel supported at our lessons. Establishing balance in lessons is very important to me; I aim to cover the basics and essential elements of technique with my students while I also encourage them to understand musicianship, sense of organization and self evaluation, empathy, and curiosity. Creating a space in my studio where students can truly express themselves, be involved in making decisions and experience critical thinking is greatly important to me and I encourage my students to go beyond playing the notes, and include research about varieties of styles and genres in their practice. I have had the pleasure of teaching many students for over 10 years in varieties of academic settings, and am so proud of each of their accomplishments. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/coordination daily 0.75 2025-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/e61dbe38-2a78-415f-83da-a445fd51ed1f/Screen+Shot+2023-02-15+at+11.38.19+AM.png Coordination| Creation| Research - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/45d69d61-959d-4647-b977-cd0256cc396c/2445c410-a081-464a-a7d2-9b4129d82921.jpg Coordination| Creation| Research My colleagues Saba Yousefi, Niloufar Sohi , and I created LyreIran in 2021 as a collaborative space where we create educational opportunities and contents for string players across the globe. With our collective backgrounds in performance, education, and research, we have made valuable professional connections throughout the years, and have been able to access a wide varieties of educational resources. We hope to create events, classes, workshops, masterclasses, and other educational opportunities for students around the world; especially those who might not have access to these valuable resources. To learn more about LyreIran and our activities please visit our website (coming soon) or our social media platforms. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/4cfca995-9774-4a1d-b525-bbc1b584289d/Screen+Shot+2021-12-27+at+2.02.01+PM.png Coordination| Creation| Research - During the course of my doctoral degree I became curious about viola literature composed by the composers of the Iranian Diaspora and conducted extensive research regarding the existing repertoire. I was also able to commission multiple pieces for solo viola and viola and electronics by these composers. My research expanded in what is now my doctoral dissertation document, a recorded album of various works (for solo viola, viola in a small ensemble, and viola and electronics) https://www.kimiahesabi.com/performing daily 0.75 2024-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/1292656c-d56b-4a62-816d-5c8940d98511/11143214_10207652083334579_4975444056794736267_o.jpg Performing - Make it stand out Photo by: Emory Hensley https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/1643235548918-GU2ZBNM6L5EGVDI222OE/Screen+Shot+2022-01-26+at+5.18.48+PM.png Performing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/1643236636304-ZK1C2UQCV1GIL40E153S/Screen+Shot+2022-01-26+at+5.36.58+PM.png Performing https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/1643237305059-HX0RA39VAXDAKWWVJRLR/Screen+Shot+2022-01-26+at+5.47.59+PM.png Performing https://www.kimiahesabi.com/about daily 0.75 2025-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/0fb45cf9-4069-41ea-b1fc-af7dc7b719a9/PD7A7423.JPEG Bio - Bio Dr. Kimia Hesabi is a violist, educator, and administrator currently residing in the D.C area. Hesabi is the Director of Learning and Engagement at National Philharmonic, where she creates programs, opportunities, and community initiatives that are centered around artistic, educational, and social impact. Kimia is an active performer and has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra musician in various prestigious concert halls across the country as well as her home country Iran. A recent appearance includes performing at NPR’s Tiny Desk along with Sleater-Kinney. Hesabi released her debut album entitled Nemāno Gaona featuring works for viola by composers of the Iranian Diaspora under New Focus Recordings in 2022. Her research and performances have been featured at the the American Viola Society Festival, in June 2021 and her article titled “Viola Repertoire from the Iranian Diaspora” has been published by the Journal of the American Viola Society. Kimia in collaboration with violinist/kamancheh player/composer Sarvin Hazin, are among the recipients of the Creator Development Fund from New Music USA in 2022 for a project entitled Neera. This multimedia project was among the recipients of the 2023 innova Recordings National Call and was released internationally on March 28th, Hesabi is a the Co-Founder of En Route, a dynamic string ensemble aiming to create performances built on a shared passion for the unique sound of strings, evoking nostalgia, joy, and heartache all at once. Kimia has performed with several orchestras and ensembles in the Middle East such as the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, Iranian National Orchestra, and the Tehran Philharmonic, and is an active performer in the USA as both a concert violist, and chamber musician. In her DMA dissertation project, “Viola from Iran: Continuing and Expanding the Trajectory of a Rich Cultural History,” she has performed, researched, and recorded an album of several commissioned and premiered works for viola by composers from the Iranian diaspora. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/enroute daily 0.75 2025-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/23548514-e30b-4584-8338-15bbbc141506/IMG_2191.JPG En Route https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/41e3a862-4f5c-4e82-99bb-5aa42ac08b88/IMG_2160.JPG En Route https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/7b6af62e-4a76-49b1-8769-ba4abfc8ddae/IMG_4276.JPEG En Route https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/d7abb1fe-c3b2-42fa-a416-f84d9dfd2272/28617230_1803743036344225_7655730476452517812_o.jpg En Route https://www.kimiahesabi.com/neera-project daily 0.75 2025-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/156df61f-60b7-40da-9cfd-e2f41e4b50f2/Neera_Front_3000x3000_300dpi.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/bbe0534e-93d0-4daa-9d73-91eb765e5d9f/Neera+group+photo++copy.jpg Neera Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/b8b327af-621d-4469-bbe0-b3f9c930d6ac/PD7A7368.jpg Neera Project https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/7d94029f-6491-42a0-aa9b-cc6650258b0b/IMG_7976.JPG Neera Project https://www.kimiahesabi.com/nemanogaona daily 0.75 2025-05-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/14d97f1f-daed-45db-81c2-a6fed3751032/cover+webstie.jpg Nemano Gaona - Make it stand out Art designed by: Emory Hensley https://www.kimiahesabi.com/gity-razaz daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/fdd7b5fa-cdcb-4dc1-b427-40ec6fa82370/Gity+Razaz.jpg Gity Razaz - Gity Razaz Hailed by the New York Times as “ravishing and engulfing,” Gity Razaz’s music ranges from concert solo pieces to large symphonic works. Ms. Razaz’s music has been commissioned and performed by BBC Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera, National Sawdust, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, former cellist of the Kronos Quartet Jeffrey Zeigler, cellist Inbal Segev, violinist Jennifer Koh, violinist Francesca dePasquale, Metropolis Ensemble, Canada’s National Ballet School, American Composers Orchestra, and Amsterdam Cello Biennale among others. Programming highlights include a 2021 commission from BBC Symphony Orchestra for the prestigious Last Night of the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall and an upcoming concerto for world-renowned flutist Sharon Bezaly and the United Strings of Europe. Other commissions have included a full-length ballet for Ballet Moscow, which has received regular performances ever since its world premiere in Moscow in June of 2017. She was the composer-in-residence for the inaugural season of Brooklyn’s ground-breaking National Sawdust and Chautauqua Opera Company in 2017. Her first short opera was commissioned by Washington National Opera and premiered at the Kennedy Center. Her music for cello and electronics was included in the opening of Seattle Symphony’s Octave 9 in March 2019. Her compositions have earned numerous national and international awards, such as the 2019 Andrew Imbrie Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters that is “is given to a composer of demonstrated artistic merit in mid-career”, the Jerome Foundation award, the Libby Larsen Prize in 28th International Search for New Music Competition, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Composer Institute, Juilliard Composers’ Orchestra Competition, three ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer awards, to name a few. In 2016, Ms. Razaz was offered the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/niloufar-nourbakhsh daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/b80c60cf-fa2f-48da-af13-2c30fc62890f/Niloufar+Nourbakhsh.jpg Niloufar Nourbakhsh - Niloufar Nourbakhsh Described as “stark” by WNPR and “darkly lyrical” by the New York Times, a winner of the Second International Hildegard commission award, a 2019 recipient of Opera America’s Discovery Grant, and a finalist for Beth Morrison Projects Next Generation competition, Niloufar Nourbakhsh’s music has been commissioned and performed by Nashville Symphony Orchestra, International Contemporary Ensemble, Library of Congress, Shriver Hall Series, Cheswatyr Foundation, I-Park Foundation, National Sawdust, Center for Contemporary Opera, Women Composers Festival of Hartford, Forward Music Project, PUBLIQuartet, Ensemble Connect, Akropolis Reed Quintet, and Calidore Quartet at numerous festivals and venues including Carnegie Hall, and Washington Kennedy Center, Mostly Mozart Festival, Seal Bay Festival of American Chamber Music, and many more. A founding member and co-director of Iranian Female Composers Association, Niloufar is a strong advocate for music education and equal opportunities. In 2014, she worked as the site coordinator of Brooklyn Middle School Jazz Academy sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center. She is currently an adjunct faculty at Molloy College and co-director of Peabody Conservatory Laptop Orchestra. She also regularly performs with her Ensemble Decipher. Niloufar is a music graduate and a Global Citizen Scholarship recipient of Goucher College as well as a Mahoney and Caplan Scholar from University of Oxford. Among her teachers are Lisa Weiss, Laura Kaminsky, Matthew Barnson, Margaret Schedel, Daniel Weymouth, Daria Semegen, and Sheila Silver. She holds a doctorate degree from Stony Brook University. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/alireza-mashayekhi daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/cef7016c-4e39-4013-ba08-ddbcc4c3c14e/IMG_4131.JPG Alireza Mashayekhi - Alireza Mashayekhi Alireza Mashayekhi is regarded as a pioneer Iranian avant-garde composer whose ideas and works, which have been performed in Iran and abroad for more than 35 years, have greatly influenced the contemporary music in Iran. He was born in 1940 in Tehran and began learning Persian music under Lotfollah Mofakham-Payan, studied composition with Hossein Nasehi and the piano under Ophelia Kombajian. He continued his studies in composition in Vienna under Hanns Jelinek and Karl Schiske. His acquaintance with Hanns Jelinek encouraged him to explore a wide spectrum of 20th century music. Such explorations accompanied by his deep interest in Iranian culture were the cornerstones of his artistic and stylistic development. Having completed his studies at the Akademie für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, he went to Utrecht, the Netherlands, to pursue his further study in electronic and computer music, which also included attending lectures by Gottfried Michael König. In 1993, along with pianist Farima Ghavam-Sadri, Mashayekhi founded the Tehran Contemporary Music Group. In 1995 he established the Iranian Orchestra for New Music, which released its first recording in 2002 on Hermes Records. Mashayekhi's music circulates between a range of styles and genres, from classical compositions inspired by Persian rhythms and Iranian folk music that incorporate meditated repetition and polyphony, to atonal compositions, to works for tape and live electronics that combine traditional Iranian and Western instruments. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/bahar-royaee daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/b78ecffd-fdad-4e1d-a8f0-97825df0a116/Bahar+Royaee_1-2.jpg Bahar Royaee - Bahar Royaee Born and raised in Iran, Bahar Royaee is a music educator and a composer/sound designer who works within the field of concert music and various media arts.The Boston Arts Review praised Bahar’s “haunting sound design” in her work with live theatre. Bahar's work has been performed at prominent events such as the Time:Spans 2020 Festival and the 2020 Fromm Foundation Composer Conference, 2022 Tehran Electroacoustic Music Festival, and has won awards such as the Pnea Award, the Roger Session Memorial Composition Award, and the Korourian electroacoustic music award. Bahar, has worked with Claire Chase, Suzzane Farrin, International Contemporary Ensemble, Loadbang, Composer Conference Ensemble, Contemporary Insights of Leipzig, Ensemble der gelbe Klang, Guerrilla Opera, Longleash, Mazumal, Kimia Hesabi, Splice Ensemble, to name a few. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in music composition from City University of New York. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/mozhgan-chahian daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/dfbc176f-f843-4bc7-abc5-1e714793b1b9/Mozhgan+Chahian+.jpg Mozhgan Chahian - Mozhgan Chahian Chahian is a composer, singer, folk music researcher, and Santoor player. She is MA graduate in composition (Tehran University of Art) and her thesis was chosen as the best composition thesis. She achieved the first rank in her BA and MA (Iranian Musical Performance and Composition respectively) both from Tehran University of Art and her diploma in Music School. In 2018, she was invited to teach as a lecturer at Tehran University of Art, Music Faculty, Iran. She got “Kamalolmolk” award as the talented artist from National Elites Foundation, 2022, Iran. Special Orchestra Prize was awarded to her for her piece “Hoordokht” for Mezzo-soprano and Orchestra in International Women Composers Competition, Fem Festival, 2021, Italy. Her piece “Hoordokht” was selected in AMAT International Composition Competition and was performed by Symphonic Orchestra, 2021, Florence, Italy. Her book entitled “Investigating and analyzing the vocal techniques of Lo and Haraee Moqams” was published in 2021, Tehran, Iran. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/showan-tavakol daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/fb5ecd2a-9d68-4e05-a55c-9a7328378aa3/Showan+Tavakol.jpg Showan Tavakol - Showan Tavakol Versatile musician, Canadian-Iranian composer, born in Tehran (1979). His works have been performed in concert in Europe, Asia and North America, and he has also written music for the cinema, notably for the film Manuscripts Don’t Burn (Mohammad Rasoulof), which was presented at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. As a performer, he has appeared as the soloist for several of his compositions, including the Concerto pour kamancheh and orchestra symphonique, which was acclaimed by the jury of the Fajr International Music Festival. Heterotopia, his piece for Kamancheh and orchestra, was performed in Montreal by the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (The NEM) with the composer as soloist. he has also participated in the recording of three albums of his musical works (in Iran and Germany): "On trolley of time", "Parallax view","Suge sarv" and also his co-composition album ”Echo of the mountains" published by Analekta in Canada. Showan holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in kamancheh performance from Tehran University. Driven by an interest in ethnomusicology and composition for world music, he has also taken courses leading to the development of expertise in the traditional instruments of a variety of cultures. He also obtained a master’s degree in composition from the University of Mon in Québec where he is currently a doctoral candidate of music composition. he is also member of SOCAN, Canadian league of composers and professor of kamancheh and violin at world music center in Montreal. In 2019, Showan won second prize in composition in the Prix collégien de musique contemporaine (Québec), and third prize in composition at the Classic Pure Vienna International Music Competition (Austria),Lauréat du concours de composition de l’OUM, 2021 et Bourse d’études Superior Perra, cholette, 2021. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/team-3 daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/460437f6-1f6c-46c1-8095-cb1964b408e9/Lori+Sen.jpg Lori Sen - Lori Şen Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/ying-shan-su daily 0.75 2022-06-06 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/6d490b74-7614-4471-9c40-a4f82163beed/head+shot.JPG Ying Shan Su - Ying-Shan Su Tobias Keene, D.D.S. Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Dr. Tobias Keene brings a bit of unabashed Southern hospitality to all his patients. He moved to Washington, D.C. over thirty years ago as a freshman at Ivy College. Right after graduation, he attended World University’s School of Dentistry. Before opening Keene Dental in 1994, he worked for free clinics and some of the finest practices in the District. He is part of the 123 Dental Association and stays up-to-date on the latest dental discoveries. When not striving to keep his patients happy and healthy, he’s enjoys hiking with his family in Rock Creek Park. https://www.kimiahesabi.com/reviews daily 0.75 2023-03-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/d9ed77f5-373e-4461-bb5e-1704c2494c92/Screen+Shot+2022-12-02+at+2.09.56+PM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/2588cb91-417b-4b3c-b206-4c952aa60088/Beige+Minimalist+Happy+Moment+Photo+Collage.png Reviews - ASCAP New Music Friday Playlist https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/b6eb1371-558d-451d-b0e9-3d023c2d103a/Screen+Shot+2022-07-07+at+6.17.23+PM.png Reviews - “As largely viola solo recording, this release heavily relies on the proficiency of Hesabi to shape the music and sound. Her expertly playing keeps the listener engaged...” — Vital Weekly https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/28150eca-24c0-4120-82c7-ad414be057ba/Screen+Shot+2022-07-07+at+6.26.09+PM.png Reviews - “This invaluable new collection from Iranian violist and scholar Kimia Hesabi—who founded Yasna Ensemble and currently lives and teaches in Washington, D.C.—offers a sharp look at recent contemporary music from her homeland...” — Bandcamp Daily https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61aa85688938656e41d5112b/899eb961-e7d6-4232-b834-0dc108274d6d/Screen+Shot+2022-07-07+at+6.24.09+PM.png Reviews - “The debut of an Iranian violist breaks tropes as well as sound barriers as she tackles the works of the Iranian Diaspora and it's composers of note. Bringing in a host of new sounds, with some coloration in the background, the armchair traveler will find there's a world beyond world jazz with one spin of this disc. Blasting an pre-conceptions apart, this is a fine ear opener.” — Midwest Record https://www.kimiahesabi.com/liner-notes daily 0.75 2025-05-09