Timothy Johannessen     

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Embracing music from an early age, Timothy has spent the last twenty-or-so years learning a number of different instruments and musical systems, performing with various groups and composing and performing music for theatre. About a decade ago, he simultaneously discovered the musical and philosophical traditions of Iran, and today his artistic and intellectual life is largely stretched between these twin poles.

Timothy has undertaken lengthy individual and formal study of Iranian music (and other nearly/distantly related musical systems). He has studied the Daf and Iranian musical rhythms with Arash Zanganeh, and after moving to Melbourne in 2011, he began learning the Setar and the Radif of Persian music with Puya Mehman Pazir. Timothy plays various other string instruments such as Kamancheh and the Robab. 

As well as Persian music performance, Timothy has a deep interest in the philosophical roots of Persian music, and has spent the last five-or-so years learning the Persian language. He is currently completing a PhD in the area of Greek-Arabic-Persian philosophy.