Sunday, February 9, 2025
Parnian Rezaei (b. 1995) is an accomplished Iranian pianist, music educator, and performer currently based in Knoxville, Tennessee. She regularly performs as a soloist and collaborative pianist while maintaining an active teaching career, with over a decade of experience as a piano instructor. Parnian began her musical journey at the age of 7 and started studying piano at 9. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of Tehran—the most prestigious university in Iran—and a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of South Florida, where she received a full scholarship and served as a graduate assistant in accompanying. Currently, she is pursuing an Artist Certificate in Piano performance at the University of Tennessee, supported by a full scholarship and an assistantship. Her piano teachers include Dr. Chih-Long Hu, Dr. Svetozar Ivanov and Arpineh Israyilian.
Parnian has appeared in numerous concerts across Iran, the United States, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and Northern Ireland. In February 2022, she was invited to perform in the Steinway Series at the University of South Florida, where she showcased her talent as a solo and ensemble pianist. That same year, she participated in an exchange program with the Utrecht Conservatory, attending masterclasses and studying harpsichord and fortepiano with renowned professors such as Henry Kelder and Siebe Henstra. In July 2022, she performed at the Prague Piano Festival, and in July 2023, she participated in the Derry International Music Festival, delivering successful performances of classical masterpieces as well as modern and unconventional piano repertoire. Most recently, in March 2024, Parnian won first place at the Knoxville International Piano Festival and Competition. She also secured first prize in the contemporary music category at the Charleston Piano Competition.
In addition to her solo work, Parnian is a sought-after collaborative pianist. Her collaborations include accompanying vocalists and instrumentalists at the University of South Florida, Tehran Music High School for Girls, the Tehran Flute Competition, and Part Music Academy, as well as individual student performances. She served as the pianist for the Pavane Ensemble, competing in the University of Tehran Chamber Music Competition in May 2018 and performing at the Schubert Festival in Shiraz, Iran, in May 2019.
Teaching is another cornerstone of Parnian’s career. She has been a dedicated piano instructor for over ten years, working with students ranging from young children to adults with diverse musical backgrounds. From 2018 to 2021, she taught keyboard skills at Tehran Music High School before relocating to the United States to pursue advanced studies.
