Ava Nazar, an Iranian-American pianist based in New York, released her debut album Nahoft in the summer of 2025 on Parma Recordings. Featuring works by women composers from Iran, including one of her own compositions, the album was featured on PBS and Classical 24.

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Ava has been invited to perform at prominent venues including the United Nations, Merkin Hall at Lincoln Center, the American Museum of Natural History, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, National Sawdust, and universities such as Duke University and Santa Clara University. Her festival appearances include the Aspen Music Festival, the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, the Académies Internationales d’été du Grand Nancy in France, and the Stanford Jazz Festival. 

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Distinguished for her frequent collaborations with accomplished musicians, Ava recently toured across the United States with renowned Iranian singer Homayoun Shajarian, performing at major venues including the Chicago Symphony Center, Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, Jacobs Music Center in San Diego, and Benaroya Hall in Seattle.

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Passionate about expanding access to music, Ava has volunteered as a pianist with Sing for Hope, bringing art to communities in need. She also served as an AmeriCorps fellow with ArtistYear, teaching music to underserved middle school students in New York. She co-founded the Prelude Music Program in New York to provide piano education for children and currently serves as assistant director of the Bronx County Chorus, the longest-running chorus in the Bronx. Ava has also taught at institutions including the Brooklyn Music School and Nord Anglia International School in NYC.

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Ava holds a Master’s degree from the Juilliard School and a Bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Her mentors include Donn-Alexandre Feder, Jonathan Feldman, Margo Garrett, and Andrew Harley.