Bio

Ped (Pedram in his native Persian) was born in Tehran, Iran. He went to regular curriculum public schools up to his fifth year of high school. By then he did not read music yet but he was playing some of the most haunting polyphonic passages of J.S. Bach's fugues for organ on a little toy keyboard that he had got as a gift, preferring every minute of it to studying for his math and science.

Ped's family agreed that he should continue in music. He had missed the first five years of Tehran Conservatory's regular program, but with private lessons from the Conservatory's cello professor he caught up and graduated with a diploma in cello performance. Three years into his studies at the Conservatory Ped auditioned and was hired as second cello for Tehran Radio Symphony, the country's then most prestigious professional ensemble of the size next to Tehran Symphony.

Ped graduated from the Conservatory in 1980 and after serving a two year military service emigrated for the US. He settled in California and has lived in north counties of Los Angeles since 1985.

In the US Ped started working as a soloist, chamber musician and accompanist, continuing with cello while at the same time gradually going back to his second but most loved instrument piano. Between 1994 and 98 he completed a Baccalaureate in Piano Performance and Pedagogy at California State University at Northridge.

In 1996 Ped played Beethoven's third piano concerto with Santa Susana Symphony where he had started as a cellist. Ped's portfolio of concert performances in the US includes many more examples including solo recitals, chamber music performances and accompaniments.

Ped began teaching piano in 1995 and in cooperation with various studios in north counties and privately has since trained hundreds of students from beginners through to advanced levels in classical and popular style genres. Since 1997 through Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation he has taught hundreds of students aged from eight and up from beginner levels up to lower advanced. He has been a member of Music Teachers Association of California since 1996.