Dr Laudan Nooshin

Dr Laudan Nooshin

Senior Lecturer and Director of Music Research Degrees

Centre for Music Studies

E: L.Nooshin@city.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)20 7040 8272

Overview

Dr Nooshin gained her BA in Music from the University of Leeds in 1984 and her MMus in Ethnomusicology from Goldsmiths' College (University of London) in 1986, where she also taught between 1987 and 1991. Her PhD (Goldsmiths' College, 1996) was a study of creative performance in Iranian classical music.

Prior to joining City she taught in the Department of Performing Arts at Brunel University between 1993 and 2003, where she was Course Director for Music from 2001-2003.

Since 2007, Dr Nooshin has convened the twice yearly Middle East and Central Asia Music Forum at the Institute of Musical Research, University of London. She is on the committee of the National Association for Music in Higher Education (NAMHE) and has also served for several terms as a committee member of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology.

She regularly writes features and reviews CDs of Iranian music for Songlines: The World Music Magazine and is often contacted for advice and information on Iranian music and invited to speak about her research. Dr Nooshin has convened a number of conferences for the British Forum for Ethnomusicology and is currently on the Editorial Boards of Twentieth-century Music (Cambridge University Press) and the Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication. From 2006-9 she was a member of the International Advisory Panel of the Journal of the Royal Musical Association and between 2007 and 2011 was co-Editor of Ethnomusicology Forum.

A great believer in extending students' horizons, in June 2008 Dr Nooshin organised an educational trip to Iran for 6 students from the Centre for Music Studies at City, funded by the City University Alumni Association. (See pictures from the 2008 trip to Iran.)

Research interests

Dr Nooshin is an active researcher working in the broad fields of ethnomusicology and popular music studies, with a particular focus on the musics of Iran and the Middle East. Her research interests include:

Possible areas of research supervision

Publications

Books

Forthcoming 2012. Iranian Classical Music: The Discourses and Practice of Creativity, Ashgate Press (ISBN 0 7546 0703 8).

2009. Music and the Play of Power in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, Ashgate Press. Find out more and order online at Ashgate Press.

Book chapters and journal articles

Forthcoming 2013. 'From Purity to Rebirth: Two Revivalist Moments in Iranian Classical Music', in The Oxford Handbook of Revival and Post-Revival Music Cultures, edited by Caroline Bithell and Juniper Hill. Oxford University Press.

2011. 'Introduction to the Special Issue: The Ethnomusicology of Western Art Music', Ethnomusicology Forum, 21(3):1-16.

2011. 'Hip-hop Tehran: Migrating Styles, Musical Meanings, Marginalised Voices', in Jason Toynbee and Byron Dueck (eds.), Migrating Music. Routledge, pp.92-111.

Forthcoming 2011. 'Jazz and its Social Meanings in Iran: From Cultural Colonialism to the Universal', in Philip Bohlman, Goffredo Plastino and Travis Jackson (eds.), Jazz Worlds/World Jazz. Chicago University Press.

2009. 'Prelude: Power and the Play of Music', in Laudan Nooshin (ed.), Music and the Play of Power in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, Ashgate Press, pp.1-31.

2009. '"Tomorrow is Ours": Re-imagining Nation, Performing Youth in the New Iranian Pop Music', in Laudan Nooshin (ed.), Music and the Play of Power in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia, Ashgate Press, pp. 245-68.

2008. 'The Language of Rock: Iranian Youth, Popular Music, and National Identity', in Mehdi Semati (ed.), Media, Culture and Society in Iran, New York: Routledge. pp.69-93.

2008. 'Ethnomusicology, Alterity and Disciplinary Identity. Or "Do We Still Need an Ethno-?", "Do We Still Need an -Ology?"', in Henry Stobart (ed.), The New (Ethno)musicologies, Scarecrow Press. pp. 71-5 (originally published in the British Forum for Ethnomusicology Newsletter 23:17-20 [2002]).

2006. with Richard Widdess, 'Improvisation in Iranian and Indian Music', Journal of the Indian Musicological Society, 36/37: 104-19.

2006. 'Iran: The Art of Ornament', in Simon Broughton et al. (eds.), The Rough Guide to World Music, Africa & Middle East, 3rd edition, pp.519-32, London: Rough Guides.

2005. 'Underground, Overground: Rock Music and Youth Discourses in Iran', Iranian Studies (Special Issue: Music and Society in Iran), 38(3):463-94.

2005. 'Subversion and Counter-subversion: Power, Control and Meaning in the New Iranian Pop Music', in Annie J. Randall (ed.), Music, Power and Politics, Routledge. pp.231-72.

2004. 'Circumnavigation with a Difference? Music, Representation and the Disney Experience: It's a Small, Small World', Ethnomusicology Forum, 13(2):236-51.

2003. 'Improvisation as "Other": Creativity, Knowledge and Power - The Case of Iranian Classical Music', Journal of the Royal Musical Association, 128:242-96. Also published in Persian translation in Mahour Music Quarterly (Iran), 37: Special Issue on Improvisation. pp.179-237.

2001. 'Ethnomusicology, Alterity and Disciplinary Identity. Or "Do we Still Need an Ethno-?", "Do we Still Need an Ology"? Thoughts Prompted by the BFE One-day Conference, Royal Holloway College, November 17th 2001', British Forum for Ethnomusicology Newsletter, 23:21.

2001. Biographical Articles on Six Iranian musicians for The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, (2nd ed., Ed. Stanley Sadie): 'Nur Ali Borumand', 'Ali Naqi Vaziri', 'Hossein Alizadeh', 'Dariush Talai', 'Mohammad Reza Shajarian' and 'Mohammad Reza Lotfi'. London: Macmillan.

1999. (book) 'Review of Music and Song in Persia. The Art of Avaz by Lloyd Clifton Miller (1999, Curzon Press)', British Journal of Ethnomusicology, 8:125-8.

1998. 'The Song of the Nightingale: Processes of Improvisation in Dastgah Segah (Iranian Classical Music)', British Journal of Ethnomusicology, 7:69-116.

1990. (book) 'Review of The Dastgah Concept in Persian Music by Hormoz Farhat (1990, Cambridge University Press)', The Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, vol. LV, Part 2, 338-340.

1989. 'The Nature of the Radif and its Re-creation in the Performance of Persian Classical Music', The Bulletin of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM UK). Autumn 1989, 24: 18-37.

Published conference proceedings

1999. 'From Prayers at Dawn to Techno in the Park: Iran's Changing Soundscapes', Proceedings of the 15th Annual Meeting of the European Seminar in Ethnomusicology, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 12th-15th November 1999.
 
1994. 'Instrument Logic, Body Logic: The Aesthetics of Motivic Structure in Dastgah Segah', Proceedings of the 10th European Seminar in Ethnomusicology, Music Faculty, University of Oxford, August-September 1994.

Music journalism, reviews, interviews, broadcasts

2012. (CD) 'Review of A Window to Colour (Mamak Khadem)', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March 2012, Issue 82:83.

2012. 'You Should Have Been There … Mohammad Reza Shajarian and the Shahnaz Ensemble, Royal Festival Hall, London', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, January/February 2012, Issue 81:97.

2011. (CD) 'Review of I Vinens Speil (In the Mirror of Wine) (Mahsa Vahdat, Skruk), Kirkelig Kulturversted', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March 2011.

2011. (CD) 'Review of In the Name of the Rose (Dastan Ensemble, Salar Aghili), Celestial Harmonies 13300-2', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, January 2011.

2010. (CD) 'Review of Oy (Mohsen Namjoo), FabricaMusic CD', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine. October 2010, Issue 73:81-2.

2010. (CD) 'Review of Love Songs and Dance Music from Loristan, Etnisk Musikklubb', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, October 2010, Issue 73:83.

2010.  (CD) 'Review of Iran: Musiques du Golfe Persane, Musique du Monde, Buda', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March 2010, Issue 66:75.

2009. (CD) 'Review of Mayeh-ye Dashti, Mayeh-ye Isfahan (Dastan Ensemble, Homayoun Shajarian) , Celestial Harmonies, 14298-2', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, October 2009, Issue 63:76.

2009. 'Taking a Stand' (feature about musicians' responses to the 2009 presidential elections in Iran), Songlines: The World Music Magazine, August/September 2009, Issue 62:12.

2009. (CD) 'Review of Monad, Hermes Records', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, July 2009, Issue 61:75.

2009. (CD) 'Review of Acoustic World. Persia (Hossein Omoumi, Shahmirza Moradi, Sima Bina), Coro', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, April/May 2009, Issue 59:77

2009. (CD) 'Review of I Am Eve (Mahsa Vahdat, Marjan Vahdat, Atabak Elyasi), Kirkelig Kulturveksted', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March 2009, Issue 58:78-9.

2008. (CD) 'Review of Jostojoo, Forever Seeking (Mamak Khadem), Banyan Tree Production', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, October 2008, Issue 55:77.

2008. (CD) 'Review of Songs from a Persian Garden (Marjan Vahdat, Mahsa Vahdat), FXCD 320', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March 2008, Issue 50: 102.

2008. (CD) 'Review of The Endless Ocean (Ensemble Dastan and Salar Aghili), Network 495120', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March 2008, Issue 50:102.

February 2008. Appeared on World Routes (BBC Radio 3) reviewing current CDs of Iranian Music.

2008. (CD) 'Review of The Passion of Rumi, QuarterTone QTCD - 1010', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, January/February 2008, Issue 49:78.

2007. 'Beginner's Guide to Shahram Nazeri', Feature in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, November 2007, Issue 47:54-5.

January 2007. Appeared on World Routes (BBC Radio 3) reviewing current CDs of Iranian Music.

2006. (CD) 'Review of Persian and Middle Eastern Percussion, ARC Music, EUCD 1969', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine. September/October 2006, Issue 39:73.

2006. 'Rockin' in Iran', Feature on Iranian pop music in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, July/August 2006, Issue 38: 34-5.

2006. 'Persepolis: Discovering the Music of Iran', The Middle East in London, May 2006, Volume 2, Issue 11:12.

CD Liner Notes Liner for Faryad: Masters of Persian Music, with Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Hossein Alizadeh, Kayhan Kalhor and Homayoun Shajarian. World Village (USA), 468023.

2006. (CD) 'Review of Gol-e Behesht, Network 29.204', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine. May 2006, Issue 36:89.

2005. (CD) 'Review of Endless Vision, Hermes Records, HER021', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, July/August 2005, Issue 31:89.

2005. (CD) 'Review of Calligraphes Vocales: L'Art du Chant Classique Persan, Accords Croisés, AC107', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine. July/August 2005, Issue 31:89.

2003. (CD) 'Review of Journey to Persia: Dastan Trio, ARC Music, EUCD 1786' in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, September/October 2003, Issue 20:77.

2003. (CD) 'Review of Shoorideh: Parissa and Ensemble Dastan, Network 24.253', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, September/October 2003, Issue 20:77.

2003. (CD) 'Review of Music of the Persian Mystics, ARC Music, EUCD 1792', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, July/August 2003, Issue 19:93.

2003. (CD) 'Review of Iran: Masters of Improvisation, Buda 1986082', in Songlines: The World Music Magazine, March/April 2003, Issue 17:85.

2003. 'Iranian Music', in The World and its Peoples (Encyclopaedia), London: Brown Reference Group.

2002. CD liner notes for Without You: Masters of Persian Music, performance by Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Hossein Alizadeh and Kayhan Kalhor. World Village (USA), 468011.

2001. (CD) 'Review of Over the Wind, Traditional Crossroads 80702-4300-2', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Winter 2001, Issue 12:100.

2001. (CD) 'Review of Rozaneh, Erato/Detour 8573-85916-2', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Autumn 2001, Issue 11:107.

2000. Interviewed by Maqam Journal (Iran); interview published in volume 6:116-119.

1999. (CD) 'Review of Music of Kurdistan, Koch 333 36-2', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Autumn/Winter 1999, Issue 4:100.

1999. (CD) 'Review of Quest, Songlines 2402-2', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Autumn/Winter 1999, Issue 4:98-100.

1999. (CD) 'Review of Mystic Journey - String Music of Iran, Music of the World 155', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Summer/Autumn 1999, Issue 3:108.

1999. (CD) 'Review of Musique Iranienne Authentique - Vol.3: Setar - Mas'oud Shaari, Club du Disque Arabe CDA 401, AAA 171', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Summer/Autumn 1999, Issue 3:108.

1999. (CD) 'Review of Iran: Bardes du Khorasan, OCORA C560136', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Summer 1999, Issue 2:90-3.

1999. (CD) 'Review of The art of Improvisation, Wergo SM 1530-2', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Spring 1999, Issue 1:89.

1999. (CD) 'Review of Scattering Stars like Dust, Traditional Crossroads CD4288', in Songlines: Journeys in World Music, Spring 1999, Issue 1: 90.

1999. CD lines notes for Through Eternity, Persian Devotional Music, with Shahram Nazeri and the Dastan Ensemble. Sounds True (USA). STA M112D. ISBN: 1-56455-717-0.

1990. Roses and Nightingales, programme on Iranian classical music broadcast by BBC Radio 3 in its series of traditional music programmes, September 1990.

Invited research seminars and public lectures

May 2012. 'Beyond the Radif: New Forms of Improvisational Practice in Iranian Music', Research seminar presented at the Music Department, University of York, May 2nd 2012.

April 2012. 'Music and the Play of Power. The Role of Music in the 2009 Iranian Presidential Elections', Public lecture presented at the Soeterbeeck Programme, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Holland (in conjunction with the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research), 24th April 2012.

March 2012. 'Beyond the Radif: New Forms of Improvisational Practice in Iranian Music', Seminar presented as part of the AHRC Research Centre for Musical Performance as Creative Practice (CMPCP)/Institute of Musical Research seminar series, Institute of Musical Research, March 12th 2012.

October 2011. '"What do you Think you're Doing?" Research Ethics and the Music PhD Student', presented at the Institute of Musical Research, Research Student Day, October 24th 2011.

October 2011. 'Community of Catharsis: Musical Mediations on the 2009 Iranian Presidential Elections', Research seminar presented in the Centre for Music Studies, City University, 26th October 2011.

March 2011. '"What do you Think you're Doing?" Research Ethics and the Music PhD Student', presented at the Institute of Musical Research, Research Student Day, 21st March 2011.

May 2010. '"Green is the Colour …": Musical Responses to the 2009 Iranian Presidential Elections', Cultural Policy and Management Research Seminar, City University, London.

November 2009. '"We Have to Become Universal": Popular Music and the Play of Identities in Contemporary Iran', paper presented at the 'Music and Identity in the Middle East and Central Asia' lecture series at the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies and Central Asia Forum, University of Cambridge, November 10th 2009.

November 2009. '"Green is the Colour …": Musical Responses to the 2009 Iranian Presidential Elections', paper presented at the Middle East and Central Asia Music forum, Institute of Musical Research, hosted at City University London, 6th November 2009.

October 2009. '"What do you Think you're Doing?" Research Ethics and the Music PhD Student', presented at the Institute of Musical Research, Research Student Day, 19th October 2009.

May 2009. 'Music and the Negotiation of "Otherness" in Iranian Cinema: Bashu, Little Stranger', Research Seminar, City University Music Department, 18th May 2009.

March 2009. '"We Have to Become Universal": Rock Music and Internationalist Discourses in Contemporary Iran', Research Seminar presented at the Music Department, University of Surrey, March 10th 2009.  

October 2008. '"We Have to Become Universal": Rock Music and Internationalist Discourses in Contemporary Iran', Research Seminar presented at St John's College, University of Oxford, October 16th 2008.  

June 2008. 'Music and the Negotiation of "Otherness" in Iranian Cinema: Bashu, Little Stranger', Research Seminar presented to the Royal Holloway College Postcolonial Studies Research Group.

May 2008. 'Studying Iranian Contemporary Popular Culture', Research Seminar presented at the Centre for Film and Media Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

October 2007. '"We Have to Become Universal": Internationalist Discourses and Language Choice in Contemporary Iranian Rock Music', Research Seminar presented at the Music Department, University of Liverpool.

October 2006. 'Jazz and its Social Meanings in Iran: From Cultural Colonialism to the Universal', SOAS Music Department Research Seminar Series.

June 2006. 'Underground, Overground: Rock Music and Youth Empowerment in Iran', Research Seminar presented at the Institute of Musical Research (in the 'Directions in Musical Research' seminar series), School of Advanced Study, University of London.

March 2006. 'Spaces of Empowerment: The Changing Social Meanings of Iranian Popular Music, c.1970-2005', Music Department Research Seminar, Manchester University.

May 2005. 'Underground, Overground: Rock Music and Youth Empowerment in Iran', seminar presented in the Music Department, City University, 25th May 2005.

November 2004. 'Islam, Modernity and Nationhood: Music and the Play of Identities in Post-Revolutionary Iran', talk presented as part of the Public Lecture Series Ethnomusicological Studies of Muslim Societies, organised jointly by the Faculty of Music, University of Oxford, and the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies.

November 2004. 'Islam, Modernity and Nationhood: Music and the Play of Identities in Post-Revolutionary Iran', Music Department Research Seminar, University of Nottingham.

June 2004. 'Musical Tradition and Innovation in the Diaspora', talk Presented as part of the Diaspora Music Village, organised by Cultural Co-Operation. Presented jointly with Dr Tina Ramnarine, Royal Holloway College.

December 2002. 'The New Iranian Pop: Music, Empowerment and Discourses of National Identity', Department of Performing Arts Research Seminar, Brunel University.

November 2002. 'The New Iranian Pop: Music, Empowerment and Discourses of National Identity', Music Department Ethnomusicology Research Seminar Series, Goldsmiths College, University of London, 28th November 2002.

February 2002. 'The New Iranian Pop: Music, Empowerment and Discourses of National Identity', Social Anthropology Seminar Series, Brunel University.

November 2001. 'Improvisation as "Other": Creativity, Knowledge and Power. The Case of Iranian Classical Music', Performing Arts Department Research Seminar, Brunel University, 14th November 2001.

March 2001. 'The New Iranian Pop: Music, Empowerment and Discourses of National Identity', Music Department Research Seminar, University of Surrey, 23rd March 2001.

February 1993. 'Persian Classical Music', The 1993 Friends of Horniman Public Lecture presented at the Horniman Museum, London, February 1993.

November 1989. 'The Song of the Nightingale: Creation and Re-creation in Persian Classical Music', Research Seminar presented at the Music Department, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, November 1989.

Conference presentations

April 2012. 'Beyond the Radif: New Forms of Improvisational Practice in Iranian Music', Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Durham, 30 March 2012.

November 2011. 'Community of Catharsis: Musical Mediations on the 2009 Iranian Presidential Elections', paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Philadelphia, November 17 to 20 2011.

May 2011. 'Music and the Negotiation of "Otherness" in Iranian Cinema: Bashu, Little stranger', paper presented at the Middle East and Central Asia Music Forum, Conference on Music in Middle Eastern Cinema, 17 to 18 May, Institute of Musical Research, University of London.

April 2011. 'Community of Catharsis: Musical Mediations on the 2009 Iranian Presidential Elections', paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, 7 to 10 April 2011, University College Falmouth.

March 2011. (by invitation) 'Community of Catharsis: Cyberspace as Field Site', keynote paper presented at the conference '100 Years of Musicological Scholarship in Finland. Celebration Symposium', 15 to 18 March 2011, Helsinki.

September 2010. (by invitation) 'How to Get Published', presentation as part of a roundtable at the conference 'Doing Ethnomusicology: Implications and Applications', Institute of Musical Research, University of London. 20th September 2010

June 2010. 'Music and the Negotiation of "Otherness" in Iranian Cinema: Bashu, Little Stranger, paper presented at the symposium Mythologising the Transition: Bahram Beyzaie's Cinema and Theatre, UCL Mellon Programme, 12th June 2010.

July 2009. 'Hip-hop Tehran: Migrating Styles, Musical Meanings, Marginalised Voices', paper presented at the Open University conference Migrating Music: Media, Politics and Style, SOAS, 10-11th July 2009.

June 2009. 'Hip-hop Tehran: Putting Marginalised Voices on the Global Map', paper presented at Thirty Years On: The Social and Cultural Impacts of the Iranian Revolution, SOAS, June 5th-6th 2009. 

April 2009. 'Hip-hop Tehran: Putting Marginalised Voices on the Global Map', paper presented at the Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, April 16th-19th 2009, Liverpool John Moores University.    

May 2008. (by invitation) '"World Music" Performance in the UK Higher Education Curriculum', paper presented at the Annual Conference of the National Association for Music in Higher Education, University of Cumbria.

April 2008. 'Music and the Negotiation of "Otherness" in Iranian Cinema: Bashu, Little Stranger', presented at the Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Cardiff.

September 2007. 'Music and the Negotiation of "Otherness" in Iranian Cinema: Bashu, Little Stranger', presented at the Sound, Music and the Moving Image Conference, Institute of Musical Research, University of London.

July 2007. 'The Siren's Song: Embodiment and the Female Voice in Iranian Music', paper presented at the 39th World Conference of the International Council for Traditional Music, Vienna.

April 2007. '"We Have to Become Universal": Internationalist Discourses and Language Choice in Contemporary Iranian Rock Music', paper presented at the Annual Conference of the 33rd British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Newcastle.

August 2006. '"We Have To Become Universal": Internationalist Discourses and Language Choice in Contemporary Iranian Rock Music', presented at the Sixth Biennial Conference on Iranian Studies, School of Oriental and African Studies.

May 2006. (by invitation) 'Jazz and its Social Meanings in Iran: From Cultural Colonialism to the Universal', presented at the World Jazz/Jazz Worlds Conference, University of Chicago. 

April 2006. 'The Siren's Song: Embodiment and the Female Voice in Iranian Music', paper presented at the 32nd Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Winchester.
 
November 2005. '"Tomorrow is Ours": Re-Imagining Nation, Performing Youth. Discourses of Empowerment in the New Iranian Pop Music', paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Atlanta.

August 2005. 'Underground, Overground: Rock Music and Youth Discourses in Iran', paper presented at the Fourth Biennial International Conference on Twentieth Century Music, University of Sussex, August 2005.

April 2005. 'Underground, Overground: Rock Music and Youth Empowerment in Iran', paper presented at the 2005 Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 

October 2004. (by invitation) 'The Composition/Improvisation Debate: Power, Difference and Ideology in Musicological Discourse', paper presented at the RMA/SOAS Study Day: Improvisation in Musical Performance, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.  

July 2004. '"Tomorrow is Ours": Re-imagining Nation, Performing Youth. Discourses of Empowerment in the New Iranian Pop', paper presented at the 2004 International Conference on Middle Eastern Studies (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies), School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

April 2004. 'Subversion and Counter-subversion: Power, Control and Meaning in the New Iranian Pop Music', paper presented at the 2004 Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Aberdeen.
   
October 2003. 'Articulations of Power in Iranian Pop Music: Subversion and Counter-subversion', paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for Ethnomusicology, Miami, October 2-5th 2003.
 
June 2003. 'Music, Islam and Nationhood: Competing Discourses of Identity in Iran', paper presented at the Third Biennial International Conference on Twentieth Century Music, University of Nottingham, June 2003.

May 2003. '"Like a Thoroughbred": Authority, Authenticity and Representations of the Past in Iranian Music', paper presented at the 29th Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Bangor, May 2003.

April 2002. 'Circumnavigation with a Difference? Music, Globalisation and the Disney Experience: It's a Small, Small World', paper presented at the 28th Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Edinburgh, April 2002.

November 1999. 'From Prayers at Dawn to Techno in the Park: Iran's Changing Soundscapes', paper presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the European Seminar in Ethnomusicology, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 12th-15th November 1999.

July 1999. 'Meaningful Sounds: Iranian Music and the Negotiation of Identity', paper presented at the Triennial British Musicological Societies' Conference, University of Surrey.

March 1998. 'Meaningful Sounds: Hearts, Minds and the Negotiation of Iranian Identity', paper presented at the 24th Annual Conference of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology, University of Cambridge.

September 1995. 'In Search of the Nightingale: Myth and Metaphor in Persian Classical Music', paper presented at the 11th European Seminar in Ethnomusicology, De Doelen Centre, Rotterdam, Holland.

April 1995. 'From the "Natives'" Points of Views? The Unbearable Lightness of Analysis', paper presented at the 21st Annual Conference of the ICTM (UK), University of Durham.

March 1995. 'The Transparent Analyst: Objectivity in Musicology', paper presented at the Postgraduate Research Day, Goldsmiths' College, University of London.

September 1994. 'Instrument Logic, Body Logic: The Aesthetics of Motivic Structure in Dastgah Segah', paper presented at the 10th European Seminar in Ethnomusicology, Music Faculty, University of Oxford, August-September 1994.

April 1992. '"Ta Seh Nasheh, Bazi Nasheh" ("Third Time Lucky"): Cross-cultural Considerations of Musical Structure', paper presented at the 18th Annual Conference of the ICTM (UK), Charlotte Mason College, Ambleside.

March 1990. 'Creative Procedures in Persian Classical Music', paper presented at the 16th Annual Conference of the ICTM (UK), School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

May 1989. 'Searching for Musical Truth: The Nature of the Radif in Persian Classical Music', paper presented at the Postgraduate Research Day, Goldsmiths' College, University of London.

April 1989. 'The Nature of the Radif in Persian Classical Music', paper presented at the 15th Annual Conference of the ICTM (UK), University of York.

May 1987. 'Composition or Improvisation? The Case of Persian Classical Music', paper presented at Postgraduate Research Day, Goldsmiths' College, University of London.

March 1987. 'Improvisation in Persian Classical Music', paper presented at the 13th Annual Conference of the ICTM (UK), University of Durham.