Payam Yousefi is a composer with a background in traditional Iranian music. From a young age, he received training from Kazem Davoudian and has performed alongside Davoudian and his ensembles at notable venues such as The Kennedy Center and The Masonic National Memorial Theater. Payam has extensive training in the Iranian Dastgāh system (the modal scale system in Iranian music) and although this doesn’t inform his compositional style, perhaps there’s an exchange of musical ideas that takes place subconsciously. His melodic writing for example, is something that comes very naturally to him.

Although Payam’s focus has shifted heavily towards Western theory and composition, he has remained active as a santoor player, both as a soloist and in larger ensembles. In 2009, Payam was invited to open for Dariush Eghbali’s concert at Strathmore as a soloist, and in 2016, he was invited to the White House to perform santoor at their Iranian New Year celebrations. He maintains active piano and santoor studios and has for the past decade lead, composed, and conducted for an ensemble of young Iranian musicians who perform many works of traditional Iranian origin, some of which are Payam’s own compositions based on Iranian folk melodies.

As a composer, Payam loves to tell stories that elicit strong emotional responses through his music. Recent compositions include The Great Gatsby, a three-movement tone poem composed for piano, clarinet, violin, and cello, Sea Change for a Pale Shimmer for saxophone and piano, and Of Restoration Known for orchestra. Payam’s music is largely neo-tonal and always has important melodic elements.

Payam studied composition for many years with Douglas Boyce and is currently pursuing his M.M. in composition at the Peabody Institute, studying with Kevin Puts. He received his B.A. in Music and Political Science from the George Washington University.