In 2022, he was appointed “Ambassador of Iranian Music in Finland” by the Finnish Heritage Agency, in connection with the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. With a background that spans music, research, and engineering, Farshad’s work moves fluidly between artistic practice and academic inquiry, using music as a bridge between cultures.
Farshad’s musical journey is deeply rooted in Iranian classical music (Dastgah system) and folk traditions, with a particular focus on the Santour. As an ethnomusicologist, he has conducted research into the ancient roots of Iranian, Turkish, and Arabic music. His master’s thesis explored quartertone intervals in Iranian music. In recent years, he has performed with various bands and collaborated on several multicultural projects, including: Road Ensemble (an Iranian and Kurdish folklore music band, where he serves as composer and artistic director), Hawraman Group (focused on Kurdish musical traditions), Yr Awen (a Finnish medieval music band based in Jyväskylä), Lentävä Laula (lullabies from around the world with Finnish translation), Kotimatka (a documentary film about the lives of immigrants, in which he contributed as composer, instrumentalist, and singer), Tanssiteatteri Kramppi (Kaikuja, Heijastuksia), and Ad Astra (a project centered on sharing, experience, drama, storytelling, and dialogue skills).
Farshad Sanati is a musician, musicologist, and santour player based in Finland. He holds a master’s degree in Music, Mind and Technology from the University of Jyväskylä, where he is currently pursuing his PhD in multicultural music education. His research focuses on bringing West Asian music into Finnish educational contexts as a way to foster cultural flexibility, empathy, and deeper human connection.
