SEPAND DADBEH
Sepand Dadbeh (b. 1992) is an Iranian multi-instrumentalist, troubadour, and cultural entrepreneur known for his innovative interpretation and musical narration of multiculturalism in performing arts and creative industries.
Growing up in a family of renowned artists, Sepand’s musical journey began with the Tombak, later mastering the Oud and Tanbour under the mentorship of luminaries like Sohrab Pournazeri and Arsalan Kamkar. At 18, he joined the prestigious Shams Ensemble under maestro Kaykhosrow Pournazeri, collaborating with acclaimed artists such as Homayoun Shajarian, Alireza Ghorbani, Antonio Rey, and Tahmoures and Sohrab Pournazeri.
Sepand holds a BA in Iranian music from Tehran University and an MMus in World Music from Codarts University of Rotterdam, where he deepened his expertise in Maqam music under maestro Kudsi Erguner. Sepand has always been profoundly influenced by his father’s scholarship and writings on the history of Iranian culture and art, which are deeply reflected in his work. Additionally, his mother’s guidance as a painter and university professor has shaped his distinct aesthetic sensibility.
In 2012, he co-founded the Jansouz Collective with his sister Khorshid, to honor their grandfather’s legacy, creating a platform for interdisciplinary music that unites Iranian cultural heritage with universal artistic expressions.
With a vision to harmonize spirituality and ancient traditions with contemporary innovation, Sepand endeavors to captivate audiences worldwide, establishing himself as a dynamic presence in the international music scene.
In recent years, Sepand has collaborated with a diverse network of artists and cultural experts worldwide, reinforcing his dual commitment to musical performance and cultural entrepreneurship. This dedication led him to further his studies in Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship at Erasmus University Rotterdam. In 2015, he founded Persiart in Paris, a cultural organization dedicated to the interdisciplinary projects of the arts and cultural advisory. As an artistic director, Sepand has developed a multidisciplinary approach that has facilitated international delegations, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and innovative collaborations within the creative and music industries.
2011 – 2015 | Bachelor of Arts (Iranian Music); Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran
2018 – 2020 | Master of Music (World Music); Codarts University of the Arts, Rotterdam
2021 – 2022 | pre-Master of Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship; Erasmus University Rotterdam
2002 | Tonbak: Arash Farhangfar
2004 | Oud: Yurdal Tokcan, Arsalan Kamkar, Shahram Gholami, Alexandros Papadimitrakis
2006 | Tanbour: Sohrab Pournazeri
2008 | Iranian Art History & Cultural Studies: Aryasp Dadbeh
2010 | Persian Classical Music (Radif): Keykhosro Pournazeri, Dariush Pirniakan, Dariush Talai
2010 | Persian Literature: Dr. Mohammad-Reza Shafiei Kadkani
2011 | Musicology (Theory & Music History): Dr. Human Asaadi, Dr. Sasan Fatemi
2011 | Acoustic: Dr. Khosrow Molana
2012 | Guitar & Arrangement: Dr. Mehrdad Pakbaz
2013 | Harmony: Dr. Shahin Farhat, Dr. Amin Honarmand
2015 | Yarasan Maqam (Tanbour): Donya Kamali
2018 | Modal Classical Music (Makam system): Kudsi Ergüner, Michalis Cholevas
Highlights:
2024 | Oudyssey project, Arab Film Festival, LantarenVenster Rotterdam, NL
2024 | Khosrow & Shirin project, 17th Amiens Archeology Film Festival, FR
2023 | The Fire In Their Eyes exhibition (Oudyssey project), Kunstlinie, Almere, NL
2023 | Night in Neyshabur project by Jansouz Collective, Mezrab, Amsterdam, NL
2023 | Sepand & Khorshid duo by Jansouz Collective, Vrije Geluiden live @Le Guess Who?, Utrecht, NL
2023 | Sepand & Khorshid duo project by Jansouz Collective, Belgium tour
2023 | Sepand & Khorshid duo, 10th European Conference of Iranian Studies ECIS 10, Leiden University, NL
2023 | Sepand & Khorshid duo project by Jansouz Collective, Bluegrass Festival, Rotterdam, NL
2023 | Khosrow & Shirin project by Jansouz Collective, Festival de Musique Sacrée, Perpignan, FR
2023 | Sun & Snow project by Jansouz Collective, Wilde Westen, Utrecht, NL
2022 | Big Idea#2 project, a collaboration of Sasha Waltz & Guests with Bang on a Can All-Stars and 50 young creators, Rotterdam, NL
2022 | Sun & Snow project by Jansouz Collective, New Grounds, Rotterdam, NL
2022 | Khosrow & Shirin, Composition & Oud by Sepand Dadbeh, Guimet Museum, Paris, FR
2022 | Pathfinders project by Jansouz Collective, Volkstheater Mobile Stage, Rotterdam, NL
2022 | Sepand & Khorshid Duo project by Jansouz Collective, Utrecht, NL
2021 | Khosrow & Shirin, Composition & Tanbour by Sepand Dadbeh, Gallery Bourbon, Paris, FR
2021 | Sun & Snow project by Jansouz Collective, Volkstheater Mobile Stage, Rotterdam, NL
2021 | Khosrow & Shirin, Composition & Tanbour by Sepand Dadbeh, Guimet Museum, Paris, FR
2021 | Sun & Snow project by Jansouz Collective, Müziek op de Rott, Rotterdam, NL
2021 | Pathfinders project by Jansouz Collective, Supported by Stichting Droom & Daad, Rotterdam, NL
2021 | Khosrow & Shirin, Composition & Tanbour by Sepand Dadbeh, Radio France Internationale, Paris
2021 | Jansouz Collective, Poets’ Garden, Nowrooz Festival, Rotterdam, NL
2020 |Yalda Night concert series 2020, awarded by Fonds PodiumKunsten NL, Livestream concert for Sufi Night (Sepand & Khorshid Duo by Jansouz Collective) and Troubadour Night (Night in Neyshabur project by Jansouz Collective)
2020 | Jansouz Collective, Matrix, Rotterdam, NL
2020 | Jansouz Ensemble, De Studio Rotterdam, NL
2019 | Yellow House Diversity Concert, Jansouz Ensemble, Rotterdam, NL
2019 | Müziek uit Iran, Jansouz Ensemble, Matrix, Rotterdam, NL
2019 | Müziek op de Rott, Jansouz Ensemble, Rotterdam, NL
2019 | Jansouz Ensemble, International Police Station, Rotterdam, NL
2019 | Tirgan Festival, Beaux-Arts de Paris and Saint Martin de la Place, FR
2019 | Wereld Delfshaven Festival, Jansouz Ensemble, Rotterdam, NL
2019 | Dialogue in the Persian Garden, Amphithéâtre Richelieu, Sorbonne Université, Paris, FR
2019 | Jansouz Ensemble, Nowruz Series Concerts, The Hague, Delft and Rotterdam, NL
2019 | IFFR (International Film Festival Rotterdam), de Doelen Studio, Rotterdam, NL
2018 | Jansouz Ensemble, Yalda Concert, Grounds & Yellow House, Rotterdam, NL
2018 | Dialogue in the Persian Garden (Nowruz and Mehregan), Leiden University, NL
2018 | Le Festival culturel de Tirgan 2018 (Ziryab), Paris, FR
2018 | Jansouz Ensemble, Amphithéâtre Richelieu, Sorbonne Université , Paris, FR
2017 | Jansouz Ensemble,Theatre du Renard, Paris, FR
2016 | Antonio Rey Navas & Sohrab Pournazeri concert, Barana Festival, Niavaran Palace Tehran and Bisotun Palace Kermanshah, Iran
2016 | Shams Ensemble, Barana Festival, Bisotun Palace Kermanshah, Iran
2016 | Shams Ensemble, Barana Festival, Niavaran Palace Tehran, Iran
2016 | Jansouz Ensemble, Negarestan Garden Tehran, Iran
2016 | Antonio Rey Navas & Sohrab Pournazeri , Milad Tower Tehran, Iran
2016 | Shams Ensemble, Composer: Keykhosro Pournazeri, Vahdat Hall Tehran, Iran
2015 | Shams Ensemble, Vocal: Sohrab Pournazeri, Milad Tower Tehran, Iran
2014 | Shams Ensemble, Karafarin Anniversary, Tabriz, Iran
2014 | Shams Ensemble, Tehran Music Festival, Masoudiyeh Palace Tehran, Iran
2014 | Beyond any Form Project, Composer: Tahmoures Pour Nazeri and Vocal: Homayoun Shajarian, Concert Tour Iran in Tehran (Ministry of Interior Hall), Shiraz, Isfahan, Kerman Shah, Kerman, Sari, Rasht, Gorgan, Urmia, Shahr-e Kord, Zanjan, Semnan, Bandar-Abbas, Ahvaz
2014 | Ethno Sweden Festival, Rattvik, Bingsjo, Sweden
2014 | Contemporary Composer Festival, Trio & Duet, Roudaki Hall Tehran, Iran
2013 | Fine Art Orchestra, Vivaldi Mandolin Concerto, Soloist: Sepand Dadbeh, University Of Tehran, Iran
2012 | Fine Art Orchestra, Conductor: Mehrdad Pakbaz, University Of Tehran, Iran
2011 | Fajr Festival,Tehran, Composer: Mehrdad Pakbaz, Niavaran Cultural Center, Iran
2011 | Shams Ensemble lead by Keykhosrow Pournazeri and vocal: Alireza Ghorbani, Vahdat Hall, Tehran, Iran
- WRITING
2024 | Hero’s Journey, Article for Tabl Magazine, Tehran, Iran
2022 | Pre-Master Thesis: Cultural Participation and the Gig Economy Model in the urban live music ecology of Rotterdam, Erasmus University of Rotterdam
2020 | Master Thesis: Ussak Seyir, a Journey into the Heart of Modal Musical Forms, Codarts University of Rotterdam
2015- Present | Tanbour Music Comprehensive Book
2015 | Bachelor Thesis: Study of Iranian Music Schools, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran
- ALBUM
2022 | Night in Neyshabur project by Jansouz Collective; Artistic Director, Author, Composer, Oud and Tanbour by Sepand Dadbeh
2012 | Nava EP Album, Composed by Mehrdad Pakbaz and Sepand Dadbeh
- VIDEO
2023 | Sepand & Khorshid duo by Jansouz Collective, Vrije Geluiden live @Le Guess Who?
2023 | Troubadours by Jansouz Collective & TymoLab production
2022 | Khosrow & Shirin project by Jansouz Collective, Producer & Director: Sepand Dadbeh
2022 | Pathfinders project by Jansouz Collective, Directed by Sepand Dadbeh
2016 | Yalda, Director & Composer: Sepand Dadbeh
2014 | Chera Rafti, Beyond Any Form Project by Tahmoures Pournazeri
2013 | Shams, Composer & Vocal: Sohrab Pournazeri
2021 | Pathfinders project by Jansouz Collective, awarded by Stichting Droom en Daad
2021 | Night in Neyshabur project by Jansouz Collective, awarded by Stichting Droom en Daad
2020 | Yalda Night concert series, awarded by Fonds Podiumkunsten: 1. Night in Neyshabur project by Jansouz Collective for Troubadour Night; 2. Sepand & Khorshid Duo project by Jansouz Collective for Sufi Night
2014 – Now | Oud and Tanbour (A Journey into the Iranian Music Modal System)
2010 – Now | Music Theory & History (Cognitive approach in the practice of Persian Music)
2024 | Music Appreciation of Iranian Cultural Civilisation, cognitive approach in practice workshop, Tehran & Kashan, Iran
2023 | HERO’S JOURNEY: A journey into the Iranian music modal system, Tenth European Conference of Iranian Studies ECIS 10, Leiden University, NL
2023 | Music Appreciation of Iranian Cultural Civilisation, cognitive approach in practice workshop, Museum of Music, Tehran & Isfahan, Iran
2023 | Music Appreciation of Iranian Cultural Civilisation, cognitive approach in practice workshop, Utrecht & The Hague, NL
2017 | Recitation of Myths and a Musical Performance, Iran Deserts Group, Central Iranian desert
2016 | Dialogue in Persian Garden, Joint Conference between the University of Paris-Sud and the University of Tehran, Gardens of Negarestan, University of Tehran
2015 | Tanbour Workshop, Assistant to Sohrab Pournazeri, Music Museum of Iran
2023 | Mahfelfel: co-Founder & director
2020 | Nowrooz Festival: editorial board
2018 | SC/Yellow house Codarts University: executive board member
2016 | Iran Deserts Group: cultural director manager and travel designer
2015 | PersiArt SAS: co-Founder & director
2012 | Jansouz Collective: co-Founder & artistic director
2011 | Shams Ensemble: Tanbour & Oud player