About Me
Kaveh Sarvarian
Musician and Composer
Born in 1976 in Tehran and raised in Khorasan, Iran, Kaveh Sarvarian began his musical journey at the age of 16 as a self-taught tombak player, the principal percussion instrument in Persian classical music. Drawn to the sound of the ney, the traditional reed flute, he also taught himself to play it. With limited resources, he built his musical knowledge by collecting and studying recordings, through which he immersed himself in Persian music.
After learning to read and perform music, he prepared for admission to the University of Art in Tehran, where he was accepted and began his formal musical education. At the Faculty of Music, he studied Persian classical music while also receiving private training in harmony, composition, and Western flute. In 1998, he was awarded Best Flutist at the National University Music Competition.
His first composition, Fugue in Homayoon for string quartet, was later presented at the prestigious Fadjr Festival, Iran’s most important cultural event, where he received the Best Composer Award. Alongside his studies, he began teaching at the Higher Conservatory and the University of Art in Tehran.
During his master’s studies, he met pianist and jazz composer Hamzeh Yeganeh. Their artistic collaboration led to the recording of three albums and numerous performances. After completing his studies, Sarvarian joined the National Symphony Orchestra of Iran as a flutist, performing for four years.
He later released Quartets for Ney and Moonlight Sky, as well as his first pedagogical book, Comprehensive Ney Method. During this period, he expanded his artistic language by exploring diverse musical styles and instruments. He also collaborated with the group Rastak, performing innovative arrangements of traditional music.
In 2011, his artistic path took a decisive turn when he moved to Spain. Initially planning to continue his studies in Vienna, he eventually settled in Madrid, where he redirected his career toward performance, teaching, and the dissemination of Persian music. He founded several projects combining music, poetry, and dance, including Yaran Ensemble, Nasim Saba, and later Parvaaz.
Between 2011 and 2018, he released several albums in Spain, including Ofogh, Ney & Spanish Guitar, Sonido del Oriente, and Kereshmeh, presenting new perspectives on Persian music. In 2021, together with choreographer Patricia Álvarez, he created the stage production Kereshmeh, an experimental performance presented at the Arrels Festival in Valencia and at the Framed Foundation in Berlin.
Sarvarian has collaborated internationally, including performing at the Austrian World Music Award 2016 with the jazz fusion ensemble led by Mahan Mirarab. In 2019, he released Madar with the Arab fusion group Darawish, and has also participated as a guest musician with Sinouj.
Teaching remains a central part of his work. After more than twelve years of teaching in Spain, both in person and online, he has published two pedagogical books: Ornaments of Persian Music for Ney and Tombak Method.
In 2021, he participated in Ritual, a project by Ana Alcaide inspired by Persian music and poetry. Since 2018, he has been a member of the CdM Cultural Foundation in Valencia, collaborating in projects directed by Carles Magraner such as The Silk Road, The Collar of the Dove (awarded Best Early Music Album in 2023), and The Son of the Moment.
Sarvarian leads Parsinava, a project that creates a dialogue between Persian music and jazz. His artistic journey in Spain has also led him to explore Arab musical traditions. His collaboration with Syrian oud player Hames Bitar resulted in the album When the Sun Rises (2023).
Currently, he is developing a pedagogical project with Australian flutist Marie Heinrich, working on a series of Persian music books for flute, as well as composing Parsinava’s upcoming album. He is also working on a chillout Persian tribal album featuring Javier Paxariño, the second album of Cardamom Trio, and presenting new duo projects: Kaveh & Elyar Performance and Sarvarian & Wasserman Duo.