About Amir

Amir Etemadzadeh:

Amir is a Middle Eastern musician, instructor, performer, and composer. Born and raised in Iran, he received extensive musical education throughout his youth. During his time at Tehran Music University, he focused on Tombak and Tar performance, while also learning vocal techniques and radif theory. After arriving in the U.S. in 2003, he expanded his instrumental repertoire, learning a variety of percussion traditions from around the world. Amir continued his musical education at University of California - Santa Cruz, studying Classical Composition and Arrangement, as well as Clarinet Performance. 

As a musician, Amir has collaborated in numerous performances and recordings with several acclaimed artists and groups, such as the Ethel String Quartet, Hafez Modirzadeh, Ramin Zoufonoun, Miriam Peretz, the Qadim Ensemble, the Silk Road Festival, and the Cal Poly Middle Eastern Music Orchestra to name a few. He has also produced two solo albums, “Torreh” and “One Truth.”

Shortly after settling in the United States, Amir realized his passion for teaching and spreading a love of music by starting Amir School of Music. Since the school’s founding, Amir is proud to have taught Persian and Middle Eastern music to more than 400 students. Grounded in both Western and Iranian classical music theory, his teaching style draws from both traditions to create a holistic learning environment tailored to each student’s learning styles and preferences.

As he has discovered throughout his own musical practice, Amir believes in the healing and expressive power of music for students and masters alike. He has facilitated workshops on many topics in music theory, as well as “Music and Emotion.” Many of his students have gone on in as little as a few sessions to compose and perform solo pieces, as well as blend musical performance with other forms of art, such as poetry and dance. Through this dedication to the holistic power of musical education, Amir strives and continues to build a loving community of innovative and empowered artists.