Dr. Shahab Saremi

Shahab Saremi is a composer, conductor, music educator, author, researcher, instrument innovator, and multi-instrumentalist with more than twenty-six years of professional experience in music education, composition, performance, and cultural scholarship. He has dedicated his career to advancing artistic excellence, educational innovation, and the preservation of musical heritage. As an educator, he has taught students of all ages and levels, from young beginners to advanced performers and professional musicians, with a teaching philosophy centered on developing technical skill, creativity, critical thinking, confidence, artistic expression, and lifelong appreciation for music. He creates learning environments where students can discover their artistic voice while building strong technical foundations. He specializes in Pedagogical Science, Music Education, Educational Psychology, and Curriculum Development, and integrates cognitive development, artistic growth, and individualized learning in his teaching practice. His piano pedagogy experience spans ABRSM levels and widely used methods including Faber Piano Adventures, Alfred’s Basic Piano Library, Bastien Piano Basics, Schaum Piano Classics, John Thompson’s Easiest Piano Course, Suzuki Method, Hanon, Czerny, Schmitt, and Middle Eastern piano approaches. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Tehran and a Master’s degree in Composition and Orchestral Conducting from the University of Art in Tehran, along with postgraduate studies in Composition, Music Pedagogy, and Ethnomusicology in Turkey and Armenia, which expanded his engagement with both Western and Eastern musical traditions. As an author and scholar, he has published works in music theory, composition, ethnomusicology, pedagogy, child development, and cultural studies, including The Connection of Poetry and Music, Music for Children, Lost Scales, Principles of Harmony and Composition for Microtonal Music, Understanding Maqam and Traditional Music of the Middle East, and Instrumentology of Ancient and Traditional Music. His compositional output includes orchestral works, chamber music, solo repertoire, educational music, and projects rooted in classical traditions and indigenous musical cultures, with a focus on modal systems, microtonality, and cultural identity. As a film composer and media music creator, he has composed for feature films, documentaries, television productions, theatrical works, and multimedia projects, shaping music that emphasizes narrative, orchestral color, and emotional storytelling. He has also collaborated with orchestral ensembles in Houston, presenting symphonic and contemporary works in concert settings that highlight the intersection of cinematic and orchestral music. In addition to his work as a composer and educator, he is an active performer and multi-instrumentalist, specializing in piano, guitar, keyboard, and traditional instruments from Iranian, Turkish, Azerbaijani, and broader Middle Eastern musical traditions. His research includes instrument innovation, acoustics, performance practice, and historical and contemporary instrument development. His work has been recognized with national and international honors, including the Golden Phoenix Award for Best Composer at the Fajr International Film Festival, along with multiple awards in composition, teaching, scholarship, and cultural achievement. Today, he continues to compose, conduct, perform, teach, and mentor musicians internationally, with a mission to inspire artistic excellence, preserve musical heritage, and build cultural bridges through music.