“a world of boundless beauty and emotions, where tradition and innovation converge in perfect harmony”
- World Music Central
Elana Sasson is a Persian/Kurdish-American vocalist and composer, breathing new life to the sacred traditions of music of her heritage through contemporary arrangements and original compositions that oscillate between east and west, traditional and contemporary, inspired by jazz harmony and Latin rhythms.
She trained vocally with master musicians from Iran and Kurdistan, synthesizing her own personal vocal ornamentations and technique. She was a resident at Fabrica Research Center in 2019, holds a BA from UCLA in Design Media Arts, and a Master of Music in Contemporary Performance and Production from Berklee College of Music. She is a member of the Iranian Female Composers Association (IFCA).
She is one of the featured voices in the “Growing Songs” project produced by acclaimed Iranian vocalist Mahsa Vahdat & released by Norwegian label Kirlelig Kultursted (link). Her music was featured in Guy Nattiv and Zar Amir’s film “Tatami” which premiered at the Venice Biennale Film Festival in 2023.
She has collaborated and performed with world class musicians from all over the world including Mahsa Vahdat, Matthieu Saglio, Mahan Mirarab, Joca Perpignan, Hadar Noiberg, Perico Sambeat, Sergio Martinez, Kaveh Sarvarian, and Miron Rafajlovic.
Her performance credits include the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California, Sony Theater in Madrid, Spain, and Fabrica Research Centre in Treviso, Italy.