Pedram Diba is an Iranian-American composer whose work investigates how sound, space, light, and gesture function as interrelated compositional materials. He approaches these elements as dynamic agents within a unified expressive system, crafting works that unfold across multiple sensory dimensions. His music has been praised for its “powerful interaction and striking richness of components” (ResMusica, France) and for its “deep sense of musical energy and great attention to the organicity and morphological profiles of sound” (Pierre Jodlowski).
His works have been presented at international festivals including SEAMUS, IRCAM Forum, ICMC, Splice, SICMF, and New Music Gathering, and performed at venues such as the DiMenna Center (New York), Le CENTQUATRE (Paris), CKL Stage (Seoul), Constellation (Chicago), and Le Gesù (Montreal). Upcoming projects include a new work for TAK Ensemble and a multimedia work for Duo Riso, both scheduled for premiere in 2026.
He is the recipient of the Residency Prix CIME (International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music, 2025), the William T. Faricy Award for Outstanding Composition (Northwestern University, 2025), a Research-Creation Grant from the ACTOR Project (2021–2022), the Max Stern Fellowship in Music (McGill University, 2018–2020), First Place in the Ensemble Ibis Composition Competition (2017), and the Outstanding Scholar in Composition Award (University of Oregon, 2017).
Diba earned a B.M. in composition from the University of Oregon, an M.M. from McGill University (with Philippe Leroux), and completed the IRCAM Cursus in Paris (with Pierre Jodlowski and Claudia Scroccaro). He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in composition and music technology at Northwestern University (with Alex Mincek, Hans Thomalla, and Jay Alan Yim). His works are published by BabelScores.