Kimia Koochakzadeh Yazdi, an artist.

My desire is to go beyond the limitations of each instrument to embody the paradox of familiarity and unfamiliarity. Persistence in diving into and exploring a particular sound world is a critical part of how I work and thus I spend as much time as possible to find the more unknown sounds. During all my creative processes, whether I am composing electronic music or writing for a small ensemble I desire to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with all the possibilities that I discover. 

Tehran, Iran. Photo credit: Kayla Yazdi

 As an Iranian composer, I tend to incorporate my      cultural background into my compositions and  take risks by using it. In my piece Displacement II,( https://soundcloud.com/user-529844759/displacement-ii ) for prepared bass clarinet, bass flute and live electronics, I use the Shia muslim call for prayer as one of main sound sources, aiming to reflect on a significant part of my upbringing. This piece will be presented by Liam Hockley and Mark McGregor as part of Vancouver New Music in February 2019.


I believe that any kind of art should make one feel a wide range of possible emotions. The complex feelings of everyday life, growing often from dualities among many other factors should not be ignored, rather they should be experienced in order to be able to live with them.

My artistic practice allows me to build up a world in which I can create a language which as much as it sounds known and recognizable, it is from a remote and unexplored world. 

- Kimia Koochakzadeh Yazdi