I was born in the deserts of Khuzestan. At the time of my birth, a man from a nomadic tribe was chanting the Holy Koran; a mother was mourning her lost child; and my father, who loved the voice of Farid-Al-Atrash, the great Arab singer, named me Farid. Thus my fate was forever bound with music... F. Omran

Farid Omran is one of Iran's most prominent composers. A conductor, pianist, pedagogue and prolific writer, he was born on December 4th, 1945, in Abadan, the south-west province of Khuzestan, Iran. He developed an early interest in music by playing the piano and composing short pieces. He later continued his music education at the Tehran Conservatory, whilst studying composition under the immigrant Russian pianist and composer, Leonid Samus. He subsequently completed his composition and conducting studies in the UK at the London College of Music and Media under John McCabe, the eminent British composer, and the late professor of conducting, Lawrence Leonard. Omran has been teaching in both Tehran and London for many years and has obtained in this time a delicate ingenuity in approaching the discipline. He is an author with a unique style and an artist with a keen insight, whose compositions have grown from the saplings of his childhood to magnificent trees. Many of Omran's works have been performed in Iran, the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere at prestigious venues, such as the Royal Festival Hall. His works include a collection of Waltzes, Preludes, the Persian Songs Suite, 4 Suites for string orchestra, Divertimenti, Symphonic Suites, a Ballet suite based on the story of the “Sheikh of San'aan”, Violin Concerto, Symphony in E minor, Fantasies for Piano, Piano Trios, Oboe sonata, the collection of “Songs from Heaven” for vocalist, piano, flute, horn and cello. There are also many choral pieces, including the divine piece of “God Is Present”, which is based on his unique approach to modern harmony. Omran has reconstructed and converted many Persian folk tunes into great orchestral works and has developed a very unique approach in combining and marrying Eastern and Western styles of music