CAMS Collaborating Musician

Mehdi Rostami is a Toronto-based musician, composer, and performer specializing in the Persian setar, tanbour, and shourangiz. Rooted in Iranian musical traditions while exploring new sonic possibilities, his artistic practice focuses on improvisation, cross-cultural collaboration, and contemporary approaches to Persian modal music.

He began studying setar in 1986 and has dedicated his life to performance, composition, improvisation, and music education. Through years of artistic exploration, Mehdi has developed a personal approach that combines the essence of Persian music with contemporary and intercultural collaborations.

Since moving to Canada, Mehdi has been active in Toronto’s diverse music scene through solo performances, collaborative projects, and international programs including the Silkroad Global Musician Workshop in Boston. Alongside performing, he also teaches Iranian music to students of different ages and backgrounds.