TARA KAMANGAR
Tara Kamangar, pianist, 24, London

Tara has been playing the piano and violin since the age of three. Born to Iranian parents in central California Tara took her Iranian music inspiration from her father. As a concert pianist Tara's repertoire is not limited to Western music, she also specialises in performing pieces by Iranian composers that combine the musical traditions of the West and Middle East.

She has premiered the works of Iranian composers to full houses with standing ovations at major venues in the UK and USA. Due to the political turmoil of the country over the past century the works of talented composers are difficult to obtain and therefore are rarely performed. Her aim through performing these works is to achieve the exposure and prominence they deserve.

Tara studied Anthropology with a focus on Middle Eastern music at Harvard University, and continued to study piano and classical Arabic violin with renowned violinist Simon Shaheen. Now studying postgraduate studies in piano performance at the London Royal Academy of Music Tara has also recorded the complete works of Golnoush Khaleghi, which will be released later this year. Tara also has a keen interest to compose piano music of her own, which incorporates elements of Persian music.

Top