Dynamic. Captivating. Transcendent.

These are the words critics and music lovers around the world use to describe musician, producer and award­winning composer Hamid Saeidi’s work. His composition, Imaginary Knots, coalesces classical Persian themes with contemporary, tour de force instrumentation to create a truly unique, truly magical experience.

Trained in the Radiff system of Persian Classical music from the age of 15, Hamid studied santoor (Persian hammered dulcimer) with famed Master Madjid Kiani. His amazing technique, emotional depth and innovative improvisations led him to pursue a degree in music from The Iranian Academy of the Arts, where he studied composition under Masters Farhad Fakhredini and Vartan Sahakian.

He went on to receive international acclaim for performances in Iran, Greece, Ireland, Germany, Turkey, Canada, Malaysia and the United States. Over his career, Hamid has composed musical scores for more than 30 films, television programs, dance and theatrical presentations, including “Baran Dar Aftab” by Farshad Fereshteh Hekmat, “Javdanegi” by Farshad Fereshtehekmat, “Afsaneh Saheleh Tareek” by Reza Davari, “Letters from Tentland” by Helena Waldman and the dance presentation, “Avazhick,” at the celebrated Theatre Shahr in Tehran. His work received awards at the Beirut film festival (2002), the Iran TV Festival (2002­2004­2007) and the Society of Critics of Theater in Iran (2005). In recognition of his accomplishments on the international stage, The Farhang Foundation in Los Angeles commissioned original multimedia compositions by Hamid in 2011 and 2012 for their annual Nowruz celebration of Persian culture at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

He recently composed music for Theatrical play “Listen” and a dance performance “Ney Naameh”. He is currently collaborating and touring with an eclectic group of musicians and performers who span several musical traditions. He founded “Hamid Saeidi & Ensemble.” Dedicated to bringing traditional and contemporary Persian poetry and music to broader audiences, Saeidi has developed a distinctive approach to live performance, including call ­and­ response to encourage a direct experience in the transformative power of music. Most recently, he co­-founded “Opium Moon” which is a sensual and groovy collaboration of master musicians, along with Lili Hayden,­ MB Gordy, and Itai Disraeli.