Amir Zaheri

Dr. Amir Zaheri is Assistant Professor of Composition and Director of the Contemporary Ensemble at the University of Alabama. Immediately prior to his appointment, Zaheri held the distinguished Narramore Fellowship at the University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, where he received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Music Composition, as well as a Doctoral Minor in Musicology, in 2013. Zaheri holds the Master of Music degree in Music Composition from Georgia State University and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Western Kentucky University.

Amir Zaheri is the recipient of numerous commissions, prizes, performances, and publications at regional, national, and international levels. Additionally, his works are recorded and released on prominent labels. His compositional interests are wide-ranging and include classical chamber and large ensemble art music, electronic music, popular music, multimedia art, opera, and musical theatre. Zaheri’s teaching at the university level reflects his own expansive compositional interests. At the University of Alabama, students pursue the creation of art music, popular music, dramatic works of various genres, film music, video game music, chip tune music, multimedia art, and experimental art. Students that Zaheri mentors are being recognized at both national and international levels, and obtaining prizes and performances by acclaimed artists and ensembles.

Committed to pursuing the highest possible artistic level in both the creation and performance of the musical art form, Dr. Zaheri is a composer, conductor, and educator, who is passionate about training musicians at all stages and all ages, instilling in them the importance of all musical experiences. Frequently engaged as a guest conductor and clinician, Dr. Zaheri routinely works with young musicians, from elementary through high school age. Currently, Zaheri serves on the Alabama Music Educators Association’s President’s Cabinet, as the Advanced Placement Theory Chairperson.

Compositions