Bahar Movahed is a board-certified orthodontist, caricaturist, and Persian classical vocalist whose life’s work embodies a rare harmony between art and science. Born in Tehran, Iran, and now based in California, she was raised in an environment that nurtured both disciplines; her father a nationally recognized surgeon, and her mother a distinguished visual artist.
Her musical journey began in early childhood with piano, soon evolving into a deeper exploration of Persian classical traditions. She studied the tanbur with Maestro Seyed Amrollah Shah Ebrahimi and the tar with Keyvan Saket and Mohamad Reza Ebrahimi, developing a profound connection to Kurdish lyrical traditions and the classical Persian vocal radif. In 1998, she began intensive vocal training with the acclaimed master Parissa, a formative mentorship that shaped the foundation of her artistic voice. She later continued her studies with some of Iran’s most revered vocalists Shahram Nazeri, Hamid Reza Nourbakhsh, and ultimately the legendary Mohammad Reza Shajarian, immersing herself in the spiritual and poetic essence of Persian music.
Alongside her artistic path, Bahar pursued a rigorous academic and professional career in dentistry. She earned her first Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree in 2003 from Tehran Azad School of Dentistry. Even while practicing dentistry, she remained deeply devoted to music, teaching at various institutes, recording her own work, and continuing her vocal training.Yet, her artistic journey was shaped by a profound limitation: in Iran, women are not permitted to perform as solo vocalists, their voices confined to “co-singing” roles that obscure their individuality. This imposed silence became a defining turning point. In 2010, Bahar immigrated to the United States in pursuit of both academic advancement and the fundamental freedom to express her voice.
In 2012, she released her debut album, Goblet of Eternal Light, in collaboration with renowned Iranian-Kurdish tanbur virtuoso Ali Akbar Moradi, published by the New York–based Traditional Crossroads label. The album received critical acclaim, with New York Daily Music describing it as “one of the most hauntingly beautiful releases of the year in any style of music.” Since then, Bahar has performed in numerous sold-out concerts across the United States, captivating audiences with a voice that carries the soul of Persian poetry at once timeless, intimate, and deeply expressive.
Parallel to her artistic achievements, Bahar continued her academic journey in the United States, earning her second DDS degree from the University of California, San Francisco, followed by a specialty in Orthodontics and a Master of Science in Kinesiology from the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health. She currently practices orthodontics in Southern California, where her precision, artistry, and care reflect the same dedication found in her music.
Her latest work, Together Yet Alone, brings her journey full circle, where classical and contemporary Persian poetry intertwine within a single voice, echoing both the timelessness of tradition and the quiet defiance of an artist who found freedom through music. Through her art, Bahar gives voice not only to her own story, but to the many voices that remain unheard, singing with depth, resilience, and an enduring sense of hope.
Her multidisciplinary path has earned her recognition as a true “Renaissance woman,” yet at the heart of it all remains a singular truth: her voice once silenced is now her most powerful expression.”
