iradj sahbai

Born on December 3, 1945 in Tehran (Iran), Iradj Sahbai is a French composer and conductor of Iranian origin. He began his musical studies with Samin Baghchehban, Hossein Nasehi, Shifteh Sedqi and Mostafa-Kamal Purtorab. He discovered Olivier Messiaen on Radio Tehran and nourished the desire to have him as a teacher. He won a first musical prize, won a scholarship and left for France to realize his dream in 1966. He studied at the Strasbourg Conservatory and passed the entrance exam to the harmony class of the Paris Conservatory. Three years later, he entered Olivier Messiaen’s composition class, where he obtained his composition prize. He also trained in conducting, obtained a first prize in Jean-Sébastien Béreau’s class and perfected his skills in Nice with Pierre Dervaux and in Salzburg with Milan Horvat.