Sahba Aminikia

Sahba Aminikia is an Iranian American San Francisco-based composer, TED Fellow, founder and Artistic Director of Flying Carpet Festival, whose music bridges cultural and emotional divides. Born in wartime Iran, his work explores themes of resilience and hope, drawing inspiration from Persian poetry and global musical traditions. Aminikia’s compositions have been performed internationally, commissioned by ensembles such as award-winning Kronos Quartet, ZOFO Duet, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Mahsa and Marjan Vahdat, Shahram Nazeri, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Music of Remembrance, San Diego Symphony, Chicago Symphony, and showcased at venues like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, SFJAZZ, St. Anne’s Warehouse, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, SF Exploratorium and Le Poisson Rouge. His acclaimed works include A Threnody for Those Who Remain and Tar o Pood, as well as SHAMS and Four Seasons, reflecting on spirituality and environmental loss.