Composer Kian Ravaei (b. 1999) is obsessed with notes, and the indescribable feelings they inspire within us. Whether he is composing piano preludes inspired by mythical creatures, flute melodies that mimic the songs of endangered birds, or a string quartet that draws from the Iranian music of his ancestral heritage, he takes listeners on a spellbinding tour of humanity’s most deeply felt emotions.

Ravaei’s music has been performed by sought-after artists such as guitarist Eliot Fisk and violinist Bella Hristova, and by notable ensembles including Salastina and Juventas New Music Ensemble. He served as a 2022 Copland House CULTIVATE Fellow, participating in an emerging composers institute at Aaron Copland’s National Historic Landmark home. Ravaei was recently featured on an episode of Performance Today, America’s most popular classical music radio program. His string quartet Family Photos has received numerous awards, including First Prize in the Spectrum Chamber Music Composition Competition, Second Prize in the instrumental chamber music division of the American Prize, and Honorable Mention in the Tribeca New Music Young Composer Competition.