Reza Namavar

Reza Namavar started composing at the age of fourteen. He was especially fond of making music and creating new things, and composing turned out to be a good combination of both.In 2001 Namavar wrote the ensemble piece In principe wel, with which he won the Henriëtte Bosmans Prize. It would not be long before he received commissions from ensembles such as The Hague Philharmonic, Dutch Wind Ensemble, Amstel Quartet and the Schönberg Ensemble. He has worked with artists such as baroque soprano Deborah York and guitarist Gary Lucas, and conductors such as Etienne Sebers and Reinbert de Leeuw. He has also performed at various festivals, like the Berliner Festspiele and the Holland Festival.The compositions of Namavar are characterized by seeming lightheartedness, behind which a complex construction of surprising melodic phrases and harmonic twists is hidden. By choosing for the unexpected in his music, he calls the ideas of the listener into question.