Balancing artistic leadership, audience, and art

Setareh Nafisi graduated from the Master of Music (NAIP) and works as a composer, pianist, and artistic director. In addition, she is a teacher and researcher within the Music in Context research group at Prins Claus Conservatorium, a research community exploring the connection between music and society.

Setareh Nafisi graduated from the Master of Music (NAIP) and works as a composer, pianist, and artistic director. In addition, she is a teacher and researcher within the Music in Context research group at the Prince Claus Conservatoire, a research community exploring the connection between music and society.

Artist, audience, and artwork

When creating a work of art, I try to find a balance between the artist, the audience, and the artwork itself. One example is a piece I co-created with other artists for people with hearing impairments. The day before the premiere, we invited our intended audience for feedback. The final section of the piece didn’t resonate with them—it was musically very complex—and I didn’t hesitate for a moment: we changed it overnight. And in doing so, we restored the balance.

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Over time, I’ve broken open my identity as a female creator from Iran and embraced the layered nature of who I am. Interdisciplinary collaboration has become a beautiful part of my work. It’s about being able to move between flexibility, openness, and listening—while also maintaining clear ideas and a strong, communicative voice.

Teaching at Prins Claus Conservatorium

Helping students find and develop their own identity in the professional field is central to what I teach in the Moving Sounds module. First, students explore their own identity and artistic practice. Then they work on building technical confidence through improvisation, recording, and experimentation. Finally, I introduce the body as a catalyst—encouraging them to express themselves more freely in their work.

Professional Doctorate

In 2025, I began a Professional Doctorate (PD) Arts + Creative. In this research trajectory within the Music in Context research group, I will apply my artistic research approach to build innovative bridges between music, choreography, and human psychology.

The aim of this PD trajectory is to develop an interdisciplinary composition practice within societal contexts, informed by the academic field of psychology. To achieve this, I will create three immersive, multimedia music installations.