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Mahsa Ghassemi

Cello / Piano

Mahsa Ghassemi started playing cello at the age of 12 and pursued a music degree, obtaining a diploma from the only official music school in Tehran, at the age of 18. During the same time she was performing with Bahman Symphony orchestra, The Iranian-Austrian Chamber Orchestra and also won the "Youngest Instrumentalist" competition in Iran at the age of 16. She also played with Tehran Symphony and the national Television & Radio orchestra. She has also recorded in several of Tehran well known studios for many movies and TV series all before the age of 18.

She decided to further enhance her musical technique and knowledge and got acceptance to the Komitas State Conservatory Masters program in Armenia and trained with internationally recognized cellist Maestro Zareh Sarkisian.

While studying she played in various symphonies and chamber ensembles including The Yerevan Philharmonic orchestra as her reward from the University for graduating with honours. She was one of a chosen few to play for world renowned cellist, Maestro Mstislav Rostropovich. she also played with Demis Roussos’s band while in Yerevan, Armenia.

After Completing her Master’s Degree in Yerevan, She moved back to Iran and became the Youngest teacher at The University of Art, faculty of music in Tehran at the age of 22. She was also a soloist with Tehran Symphony, Armenian Virtuosi string orhestra conducted by Loris Tcheknavorian and made many recordings before moving to Canada with well known iranian composers. While In Canada, she received her 2nd Masters degree in Cello Performance, Played with Toronto Philharmonia, Sudbury Symphony, Toronto sinfonietta and has been the Principal Cellist for the Koffler Chamber orchestra and the Helliconian Orchestra. She has also Played non-classical groups such as playing for an audience of 15000 with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Air Canada Centre. She has worked with many well known contemporary Iranian composers and performers such as Loris Tcheknavorian, Ahmad Pejman, Karen Homayunfar, Saeed Shanbezadeh, Habib Meftah Booshehri, Khachik Babayan, Iman Vaziri, and Babak Amini.

In 2013, she co-founded The Collide Project with composer and guitarist, Behnam Jahanbeiglou. The Collide Project has already produced and released their debut album and is on to second. she has also Manuscript and arranged Behnam Jahanbegolou’s cello parts in their first Catalogue for The Collide Project.

Since 2013, Mahsa has been active with margaritas string quartet, trio moonshine, The Sudbury symphony and The Guelph symphony performing many concerts and recitals as well as teaching in her private studio.

In March 2016, she was the guest performer with the Adaawe and singer Mamak Khadem in Long Beach, CA.