Saba Alizadeh

Saba Alizadeh (b. 1983, Tehran) is a composer and kamancheh player whose work exists in a singular space between Iranian musical heritage and contemporary experimental sound practices. Both as a performer and sound artist, he has developed a distinct language where the acoustic intensity of the kamancheh is augmented by electroacoustic processing, modular synthesis, tape manipulation and live electronics.

Born into a major musical lineage as the son of the master tar and setar player Hossein Alizadeh, he trained within Iranian classical tradition before expanding his practice into contemporary and experimental music. Alongside his instrumental studies, he pursued photography and later earned his MFA in Experimental Sound Practices at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), shaping a multidisciplinary approach that continues to inform his work today.

Field recordings, sampled Persian instruments, and processed kamancheh lines form dense, cinematic sound worlds. Instead of conventional compositions, his music tells a story. Alizadeh is also a central figure in Tehran’s experimental music scene. He founded Noise Works, a platform dedicated to sonic arts education and the development of emerging artists working with experimental and electronic music practices. His activities as a curator and educator have contributed to shaping a broader ecosystem for contemporary sound in Iran.

His music is released on Karlrecords and 30M Records, with albums that serve as a distinct aesthetic testament to history, memory, and the political textures of contemporary life.His international debut, Scattered Memories (2019), beautifully wove field recordings into ambient textures. He expanded this horizon with the cinematic landscapes of I May Never See You Again (2021) and Temple of Hope (2025). His latest project, Rituals of the Last Dawn (2026), takes a more meditative turn—a two-part album exploring duration and sonic minimalism through extended improvisation and an intuitive, intimate dialogue with Pietro Caramelli on guitar and electronics.

Alizadeh has performed at major international venues and festivals, including Berliner Philharmonie, CTM Festival, Reeperbahn Festival, Flow Festival, Kölner Philharmonie, and Morgenland Festival.

Across both his concert and film work, he creates a musical language where a singular point of view within the historical and socio-political witness expands into a deeper search for new aesthetic horizons. By counterpointing contemporary lyricism with sonic frictions and meditative storytelling, he translates this felt, intimate tension into striking, evocative imagery.

His music continues to evolve at the intersection of tradition and experimentation, positioning him as one of the most compelling voices in contemporary Iranian music and the international experimental scene.