Born in Tehran, she is currently based in Cologne as a freelance composer, working internationally with various musicians, ensembles and orchestras. Her orchestral works have been performed notably by the WDR Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Tonhalle Orchestra in Zurich. Her music has been premiered at renowned festivals such as Wittener Tage für Neue Kammermusik, Ultraschall in Berlin, Acht Brücken in Cologne, Transart Festival in Bozen, Aldeburgh, Geneva’s Archipel, Copenhagen’s Klang, and Bludenzer Tage Zeitgemäßer Musik. Her composition I did not paint the war. I lived the war. – une Aubade was premiered by the ensemble Musikfabrik at Amsterdam’s Muziekgebouw.
Frequently awarded in recent years, Fallah stayed in Venice as a scholarship holder of the Centro Tedesco di Studi Veneziani (2021), had her portrait CD released by WERGO (2024), and was an artist-in-residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris (2025).
Fallah is active in the independent scene. She is also in contact with the new music scene in Iran and supports the younger generation as well as the Yarava Music group. Her oeuvre focuses on shaping sound and time. She intensely studies every instrument and its sonic possibilities, and is particularly keen on collaboration with performers.
“For me, music has two aspects: on the one hand, the aspect of research, when I want to learn more about instruments and deepen my understanding of their sounds so that I can then connect them to one another; on the other hand, the aspect of expression in the sense of the reflection of a living and experiencing being. Reflections on everything that is part of life: joy and laughter, but also death and existential fear.” www.farziafallah.com
Selected works: Posht-e Hichestan for flute (2015), in sechs Richtungen for accordion and fixed media (2016), im selben Augenblick for saxophone, bass clarinet, trombone, harp, percussion and double bass (2017–18), Ausgedehnter Augenblick for accordion, bass clarinet, cello and video (2018), Unter Bewunderung der Farben for ensemble (2018–19), täglicher Blick auf den Alborz for two guitars (2020), Spaces of Deep Silence for clarinet, cello and piano (2021), This Burning Mass – A Feast of Colours for ensemble (2022), In der Bläue der Kachel for ensemble (2022), a la garganta for two female voices (2022), Traces of a Burning Mass for large orchestra (2022–23), Chains – the Sense of Movement and Change for orchestra (2023–24), windows letting in strange lights for small chamber orchestra (2024), of asphyxia for mezzosoprano and cello (2025), I did not paint the war. I lived the war. – une Aubade for ensemble (2025), of rains and shards – ein Auswegsmorgen for ensemble (2025).