Biography

Ali Montazerighahjaverestani (also known as Ali Montazeri) is an Iranian composer, târ performer, and music educator. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Composition from Texas Tech University, a Master of Arts in Music Theory from the University of North Texas, and a Master’s degree in Composition from the Art University of Tehran, where his thesis was recognized as the best of the year in 2006.

Montazeri began formal training in keyboard and music theory in 1990 and began studying the târ in 1996. Since the late 1990s, he has collaborated with numerous Iranian ensembles as both a performer and an arranger, and later expanded his focus to composition through studies in harmony and counterpoint.

During his composition studies in Tehran, he created works for traditional Iranian ensembles, chamber groups, vocal settings, symphonic orchestra, and short films. Following graduation, he joined the Art University as an instructor, teaching Harmony, Music Theory, and Form in Iranian Music.

In 2011, he continued his composition studies at Brandon University in Canada under Dr. Michael Carrabre, further refining a compositional approach that blends Iranian classical elements with contemporary post-tonal techniques. He later moved to the United States to pursue doctoral studies at Texas Tech University under Dr. Mei-Fang Lin, where he also served as an instructor for Introduction to Contemporary Music.

Alongside his academic career, Montazeri has participated in international collaborations, including The Voices and Bridges, a multicultural, multilingual project that connects musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds. He has also worked with ensembles such as Borderless Band as an arranger and performer on târ and bass târ.

His creative and educational work continues to focus on intercultural dialogue through composition and performance, connecting Persian musical heritage with contemporary global musical practices.