Niloufar Nourbakhsh '21
PhD Music
Where are you originally from?
I'm originally from Iran, Karaj
How did you hear about Stony Brook University?
I learned about SBU through my composition teacher at the time (2015) Laura Kaminsy.
Why Stony Brook?
My teacher Laura Kaminsky, who knew Sheila Silver in the Department of Music, thought
that Dr. Silver would be a wonderful advisor for my graduate studies. I absolutely
fell in love with Dr. Silver's work, and the moment that SBU offered me a tuition
scholarship, I was thrilled to start my graduate studies at SBU.
Tell us about your SBU experience:
My first year of graduate study at Stony Brook was quite difficult for me; however,
now that I look back at my six-year journey, I see a family. One that supported me
through difficult times, and challenged me to become a better version of myself. A
better human and a better composer.
How has your time at Stony Brook benefited your career?
As a contemporary classical composer, the relationships that I have developed with
the graduate performers at SBU are so important. I have worked with these collaborators
on numerous occasions outside of Stony Brook in the new music scene.
Tell us about the comradery.
Community in the Department of Music and especially in the composition department was always very bold for me. The ensemble
that we started together as graduate students, Ensemble Decipher, grew to become a
professional ensemble outside of SBU, with a deep understanding of each other as musicians
and as friends.
Awards & Accolades:
2021 Creator Development Fund Grant, New Music USA
2021 Beth Morrison Projects’ Next Generation Finalist
2021 US Artists International awarded to Ensemble Decipher
2020 SUNY PACC Prize awarded to Ensemble Decipher
2020 Artificial Intelligence Project Grant awardee – SBU CS Department
2020 Kaleidoscope Orchestra call for scores winner
2019 Opera America Female Composer Discovery Grant
2019 2nd Hildegard Commission Award
2019 Random Access Music call for scores winner
2019, 2020 ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Finalist
2018 Florida State University NMF call for scores winner
2018 PUBLIQuartet Access Commission Award
2018 First Prize Winner – EDR Foundation Emerging Composers
2017 Kaleidoscope MusArt Special Citation Award
2017 Third Prize Winner – SongSlam New Art Song Competition
2015 Iranian American Academics and Professionals Award