Biography
Ramin Amin Tafreshi (1992) is an Iranian Composer and Pianist based in the Netherlands.
He combines literature, drama, dance, and theatre with his music to tell stories, express emotions, and reflect on society and his surroundings. In the first place, he is a keen observer and, then an expressive composer who reflects those observations through his music. Moreover, he continuously seeks to bridge cultures from the East and West through his music.
Ramin's works have received notable recognitions, most recently including the Young Art Support Amsterdam (YAA) Award 2023/2024. Additionally, in December 2018, his composition, It’s the Voice that shall Remain, won the prestigious Second Prize and the Audience Prize from the Alba Rosa Composition Competition. It was performed by Lilian Farahani and Amatis Piano Trio at Het Concertgebouw during the Alba Rosa Viva Music Festival.
During Opera Forward Festival 2020, his short opera, IDIOSYNCRATIC (take a deep dive down), was programmed as one of the talent operas at the Dutch National Opera & Ballet. Also, as his second collaboration with the Opera Forward Festival, he had the great chance to work together with opera director Sjaron Minailo on his second short opera, Saoshyant, which got the premiere of the first act during the Opera Forward Festival Online 2021. “Saoshyant” was nominated for the Ahk Graduation Awards in 2022.
In 2022, Ramin was the commissioned composer of the Nederlands Studenten Kamerorkest (Nesko), funded by Het Fonds Podiumkunsten for their concert tour, Staat Sterk, in which his work “Through Windows of Desire” got its premiere with soloist Elizaveta Agrafenina under the direction of Stijn Berkouwer.
​
In the same year, he was the invited composer for the Toonzetters project with his work Soorbâng for Four Hands Piano and Two Percussions. The project has been performed on a concert tour around the Netherlands and Italy and is recorded on an album by the label 7 Mountain Records.
​
Ramin’s works have been performed on many international stages and broadcast on radio in countries like the Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Italy and the U.S.. In the Netherlands, his works were performed at top music festivals such as Dutch Classical Talent, Grachten Festival, Opera Forward Festival, Oranjwoud Festival, Schiermonnikoog Festival and WonderFeel Festival by inspiring musicians such as Nederlands Kamerorkest, Nederlands Studenten Kamerorkest (Nesko), Maat Saxophone Quartet, Amatis Piano Trio, Dudok String Quartet, Joost Willemze, Lilian Farahani, Elizaveta Agrafenina, Dokwerk Saxophone Quartet, Nympheas Trombone Quartet and many more.
In 2021, he obtained his Bachelor of Music from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, where he later received his Master's degree in 2024 under the supervision of Willem Jeths, Wim Henderickx, and Richard Ayres.
* photos by Melle Meivogel from Koepel concert with Nederlands Kamerorkest De Nationale Opera Studio, NedPhO-Koepel, Amsterdam