Nassir Heidarian

Nassir Heidarian-Rasty (b.1957) grew up in Tehran and began his musical education at the age of six playing trumpet, trombone and piano. After graduating from the Tehran Conservatory of Music majoring in trombone and music theory he became a member of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, were he played solo-trombone. In addition to his work in the orchestra, he was asked to take over the choral conducting of the choir of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.
From 1984 to 1991 Nassir Heidarian-Rasty studied trombone at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Prof. Horst Küblböck. He then (1991-1997) persisted a conducting degree at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz with Prof. Martin Turnovsky, and Arturo Tamayo (symphonic repertoire) and Wolfgang Bosic (opera).
After completing his studies (diploma 1997, Mag. Art.), he went on to conduct orchestras and ensembles both at home and internationally.
In 1999, he was awarded a Richard Wagner scholarship from the “Richard Wagner-Society, Bayreuth”.
Opera productions were successively conducted by Nassir Heidarian-Rasty, among others, at the Grazer Opera (where he was member of the ensemble from 1997 to 2003), the Zurich Opera House, the Zürich “Schauspielhaus” and the Basel Theatre. He received outstanding reviews and acclaim with the Beethovenhalle Bonn Orchestra when he conducted and performed “Punch and Judy” the opera, by Harrison Birtwistle.
In 2003, the magazine “Opera World” awarded him the prestigious prize for best world premiere of the year, for the opera “Begehren” by Beat Furrer. In addition, Nassir Heidarian-Rasty was responsible for the setting-up and co-conducting of the acclaimed opera performances at the “Ruhrtriennale” in Bochum and at the “Steirischen Herbst” in Graz.
It was through his collaborations with concerts at the Munich Chamber Orchestra and various additional smaller ensembles that the way of Nassir Heidarian-Rasty’s work was defined. (1997/98 musical director of the ensembles for contemporary music “andere saite”)
Nassir Heidarian-Rasty still maintains a close and long cooperation with the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and in October 2015 he and the TSO celebrated the world premiere of “The Ashura Opera” by Behzad Abdi. One significant highlight of this orchestra was the closing concert of the “International Spring Festival in Shanghai 2016” with Nassir Heidarian-Rasty as the orchestra’s acclaimed conductor.
Since May 2016, Nassir Heidarian-Rasty has been working as an adviser to the Rudaki Foundation (The Ministry of Culture in Tehran).
Since 2002, Nassir Heidarian-Rasty has also dedicated himself to the training of conductors. He is currently teaching conducting, score playing and film music directing for conductors at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. He is also the director of the Filmmusic Orchestra Graz, the Symphonic Wind Orchestra and the Brass Band of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz.
In addition to his teaching and concert activities, Nassir Heidarian-Rasty is holding master classes for conducting (Austria, Iran and Korea).
In august 2022 Nassir Heidarian was appointed principal conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.