Naeim Rahmani is a classical guitarist based in Seattle, Washington. Born in Iran, he immigrated to the United States as a refugee and has since made a name for himself as an accomplished performer, both nationally and internationally. His talent and dedication to his craft have earned him numerous accolades, including a 2022 Goethe-Institut Residency Award, and a 2023 CityArtist Award from the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, recognizing his contributions to the city's cultural landscape. Recently, Naeim was invited by the Nonsequitur Organization - known for promoting adventurous and experimental music and sound art - to curate a series of concerts for the NonSeq. Series.
In addition to his solo performance career, Naeim is also the artistic director of the Seattle-Isfahan Project. This collaborative venture brings together musicians from Seattle, WA and Iran to create a shared workspace where performers and composers can come together to create new works for the guitar repertoire.
This project has been recognized by awards and grants from Artist Trust, 4Culture, Bellevue Arts Program, and the Goethe-Institue. He has also commissioned works from notable composers such as Huck Hodge and Anahita Abbasi, and is currently collaborating on a solo guitar piece with Farzia Fallah.
As an advocate for new music, Naeim is dedicated to promoting and encouraging new compositions for the classical guitar. Outside of his performance career, he teaches at Bellevue College