A Canadian Iranian versatile musician, an accomplished Montreal-based composer specializing in the kamancheh and Iranian violin, bridges cultures through his transcultural perspective, seamlessly metamorphosing traditional world music influences into contemporary classical compositions.
Showan Tavakol is a master of the kamancheh and Iranian violin, originally from Tehran, Iran. With a background in ethnomusicology and extensive studies in traditional and contemporary music, he has become a prominent composer and performer. Showan’s work features original compositions, film scores, and collaborations with various ensembles. Now based in Montreal, he continues to blend Iranian musical traditions with modern influences, creating unique and captivating music.
A Canadian Iranian versatile musician, an accomplished Montreal-based composer specializing in the kamancheh and Iranian violin, bridges cultures through his transcultural perspective, seamlessly metamorphosing traditional world music influences into contemporary classical compositions. His works have been performed in concerts across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. As a composer in Canada, he has collaborated with distinguished ensembles such as the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Molinari String Quartet, Bozzini String Quartet, l’Ensemble de musique contemporaine (EMC) et l’Orchestre de l’Université de Montréal (OUM), and l’OBAC. He has also composed for film and theater, notably for the film “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” (Cannes Film Festival, 2013), “Scenes of Extraction” (Berlinale Film Festival, 2023), and the theater “L du déluge” (Montreal, 2023).
As a performer, he has collaborated with different traditional world music (global music) ensembles for over 20 years and has been a soloist in several of his classical compositions. These include “Haamun,” his Concerto for Kamancheh and Symphony Orchestra, “Hologramme Modal,” his piece for Kamancheh and String Quartet, “Le Sifflet du Phénix,” his Double Concerto for Oud, Kamancheh, and String Orchestra, and “Heterotopia,” his piece for Kamancheh and Chamber Orchestra, performed in Montreal by the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne with him as the soloist. He has also participated in the recording of albums of his musical works in Iran, Germany, and Canada: “Epiphenomenon,” “Parallax View,” “On Trolley of Time,” and “Suge Sarv.” Additionally, the album “Echo of the Mountains,” his co-composition for Duo Perse-Inca, showcases contemporary world music and was published by Analekta in Canada.
Showan holds a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s degree in Kamancheh Performance from Tehran University. In Quebec, Canada, he obtained a master’s degree (2017) in Music Composition from the University of Montréal, where he also received his Doctorate (2024) in Music Composition and Sound Creation. He is an associate composer of the Canadian Music Centre, a member of SOCAN, the Canadian League of Composers, and a professor of Kamancheh and Violin at Centre des Musiciens du Monde in Montréal. He is the recipient of several awards and scholarships, including the 2nd prize in composition at the Prix collégien de musique contemporaine 2019 (Quebec), the 3rd prize in composition at the Classic Pure Vienna International Music Competition 2019 (Austria), winner of the OUM composition competition (2021), the Superior Perra & Cholette Scholarship (2021), and the OICRM-ESP Doctoral Scholarship (2022).
JULY 2024
JULY2024
Coming soon
Composition for choir à cappella, Théâtre L du Déluge (2023)
Composition for “Manuscripts Don’t Burn” by Mohammad Rasoulof (2013)