Saba Alizadeh
Born in Tehran in 1983, Saba Alizadeh is an unparalleled figure at the forefront of contemporary Iranian music. Alizadeh subsequently studied experimental sound practices at Calarts in Los Angeles.
He began expanding his musical cosmos utilizing different instruments and methods of composing. Apart from Kamancheh ,no-input mixer, modular synthesizer , laptop have been the main instruments that Alizadeh has created his sonic cosmos with.
Alizadeh also uses a lot of manipulated historic audio recordings and field recordings in a neo-musique concrete fashion .
Treating sound as an object has always been Alizadeh’s fascination.
Saba's musical career branches into two different paths.
One is Saba as a virtuoso on kamancheh ,a soloist and a collaborator.
The other is Saba as a musician in the experimental realm in which his pieces also tend to have a social/political context to them.
"Alizadeh's compositions evoke both the personal and the political through the use of mixed media, electroacoustic processing and improvisation”
“Alizadeh’s level of control of both the traditional and technological aspects of his music is clear from the outset. What results is a beautifully fragmented exploration of internal space, which often wanders between the contemplative and the neurotic” (Songline magazine)
Saba is also the founder of "Noise works",a platform in Tehran which mostly focuses on performing and educating sonic arts.
Alizadeh is an internationally acclaimed photographer as well. His latest series "Light & Soil" has been exhibited in such cities as Tehran,Moscow,Paris,Kuwait,London, Washington D.C and etc along side acclaimed artists such as Shirin Neshat.
Saba is the son of the world renowned Hossein Alizadeh and has toured worldwide for the past decade with him.
Quotes by: Max foreman,Charlie Cawood
CV
Born in Iran , Tehran 1983
Education
BFA in photography(Azad university Tehran)
MFA in Experimental sound practices (Calarts , California)
Instrumental Music performances:
Playing Kamancheh(the Persian spike fiddle)for the past 24 years, studied the instrument with Saeed Farajpoury and Kayhan Kalhor.
Former member of “Nour” ensemble 2003-2008 toured Iran and Europe
Former co-founder of the “Land trio" 2010-2013 toured North America and Mexico
Current member of Hamavayan ensemble 2001-now toured Iran , North America, Europe
More than 150 live performances on stage, including prestiges venues such as Carnegie hall in New York
Soundtracks :
“Preservation of the Hawksbill turtles” directed by Saba Alizadeh (commissioned by UNDP) 2007
“Facing the mirror” directed by Sara Khaki 2013
“Simorq” an animation directed by Meghdad Asadi Lari 2013
“Closed Circuit” a play Directed by Pegah Tabasinejad 2017
Electronic/noise music:
Performances:
California electronic music exchange concert series (CEMEC) 2013
Tadaex 2014 (Tehran’s digital annual exhibition): playing no input mixer
Rooftop Microconcert series (Tehran) 2015: playing laptop and objects
Aab-Anbar-no (performance in an old water reservoire in Sari) 2016 : Playing laptop
Founder of "Noise works" Platform:
Since 2015 “Noise works” a platform/laboratory for electronic/experimental music located in Tehran was created.
Noise works main focus is on education and performance in this realm.
Workshops:
Sound workshops 2016: by Saba Alizadeh, Held in Tehran and Ghazvin
Tape loops 2017 : by Andreas Spechtle (organized by Saba Alizadeh), held in Tehran
Curations:
Aural events : which are a series of concerts happening every month or two regarding electronic/noise music curated by me and with the co-operation of the Silkroad gallery.
Residencies:
Atelierhaus Salzamt, Linz Austria, 2016
Lou Harrison house of music and arts, Joshua Tree,California, 2013,2015
Earthfire institute, Idaho, 2012