Saman Shahi

Saman Shahi is a JUNO-nominated composer, pianist and conductor based in Toronto whose music has been described as “Inspired and spontaneous” (The Indie Source), and “Lucid and dramatic” (Musicworks). Saman’s compositions have been performed around the globe by renowned groups, including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Opera, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and the National Ballet of Canada, as well as Soundstreams, among others. His piano music was recently published in UK’s official conservatory method book by London College of Music, and also included in the 2022 Royal Conservatory of Music’s syllabus. His music has also been broadcast around the world on BBC Farsi, CBC, PBS and Radio Télévision Suisse.

Saman holds a master’s degree in composition from the University of Toronto, is an affiliate Member of the Canadian League of Composers, Associate Composer at the Canadian Music Centre as well as a SOCAN member. He is a Co-Founder and the Executive Director at ICOT. Saman is the Music Director at the Peterborough Concert band, teaching artist with the Canadian Opera Company, and the pianist for the “Rogue Duo”. In 2020, Saman’s debut composition album “Breathing in the Shadows” was recorded and released by Leaf Music. Song cycle “Breathing in the Shadows” in this album was nominated in the 2022 JUNO Awards “Classical Composition of the Year” category. Other cycles on this album also claimed awards with CAMMAC and the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra. His chamber composition album, “Microlocking,” was released by People|Places|Records in 2021. Saman has been a selected composer by many competitions such as the American Composers Orchestra’s 2024 Earshot Readings with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Denison University’s 2024 Tutti Music Festival, 2022 Atlanta Opera’s “96 Hour Opera Project”, Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s 2021 “Explore the Score”, Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra’s 2021 Call for Scores, and many more.