Niloufar Shiri is a kamancheh player, composer, and improviser from Tehran, Iran. Her work exists between experimental and Bedahe music, blending these influences into her own musical approach. Often rooted in the Radif, Shiri’s practice explores the space between structure and spontaneity, and the intersections of the familiar and the unexpected.
Hello friends,
My name is Niloufar Shiri. I am a composer and improviser from the beautiful city of Tehran, Iran. This playlist brings together music by artists I have been in conversation with for many years, musicians I came to know after immigrating to the United States, whose presence, generosity, and ways of listening have deeply shaped my artistic life.
These relationships have unfolded over time, and the trust and care we share continue to sustain me, both musically and personally. This group of artists is very close to my heart, and this playlist carries a great deal of personal meaning.
I hope you enjoy listening and perhaps find something here that resonates with you.
With love, Niloufar
Uranian Void by Jessika Kenney
Jessika Kenney is someone I return to whenever I need to rethink, reset, and begin again. Her music lives at a threshold of intensity, devotion, and insanity that feels both ancient and urgently present. For me, this stunning album is a form of ritual – one that asks for patience and care.
Improvisation on Moravian folk poetry by Iva Bittová
I don’t even need to say much – she’s an iconic figure, and her work has changed how I think about voice and performance. Every time I listen to this track, it pulls me back to curiosity, play, and a fearless kind of freedom. Her music blurs the lines between voice, body, and instrument, feeling alive, instinctive, and yet so intentional.
Nocturny by Antonín Fajt
Antonín Fajt’s music feels deeply grounding to me. He taught me so much about listening—to space, to silence, and to others – and about being comfortable remaining there. His work carries a rare balance between structure and freedom. I can listen to his music endlessly, and I hope you feel something of that same pull.
Pacific by Ryotaro Miyasaka & Chatori Shimizu
This gorgeous track by two brilliant musicians Ryotaro and Chatori brings a distinctive sensitivity to harmony and space. The way they work with time and sound, and the careful, expressive power of even the smallest gestures.
Situation IV-Io E iO for Solo Violin by Anahita Abbasi
Listening to Anahita’s music takes me back to the first time I saw her, and to the many conversations we had about music in San Diego. Her work feels close to me. It moves through memory, identity, and displacement in a way that feels honest and careful. Returning to her music feels like encountering familiar questions through a refined and inventive musical language.
Azur by Eyvind Kang and Jessika Kenney
This album lives in my emergency kit! Listening to it feels like stepping into a space of guidance and discovery, or sitting in conversation with a morshed—each return reveals something new.
“For Zero” from Cycles by Kojiro Umezaki
I had the chance to study with Kojiro Umezaki as my mentor. One of the most important lessons I carry from him is how to think about the skeleton of a sound or an idea – stripping it down to its bare essentials, seeing it as a naked structure, and then letting everything grow from there. I’ve returned to this piece many times, and it always sets something in motion for me.
“Creature Drowning – Part I” from Melting Planets by Sivan Cohen Elias, Lauren Siess, Cole Blouin
Sivan Cohen Elias is my mentor and a constant source of inspiration. I was immediately drawn the first time I heard her compositions. This album, where she performs as well, shows another side of her music (to me) – so intentional and emotionally alive.
NO-INPUT MIXING BOARD by Toshimaru Nakamura
As part of my personal interest in no-input mixing, I came across this album (many years ago). I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve listened to it. It was a rare experience of simply experiencing sound – sound as it is. This album is just one of many incredible works by him, and I hope you enjoy it.
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