About Me
Nima Pournaghshband is an Iranian countertenor, choir conductor, composer, and former architect living in Maastricht, the Netherlands. He holds a Bachelor's degree in classical singing, which he studied under Yvonne Schiffelers, and choir conducting under Hans Leenders at the Conservatorium Maastricht. Nima is furthering his education in Cologne, Germany, at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln, where he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Classical Singing and Opera under the guidance of the renowned countertenor Kai Wessel, beginning in October 2024. His earlier studies in Tehran as an architectural engineer have expanded his perspective on art and culture, allowing him to unleash his creativity by blending different artistic approaches and musical ideas.
Nima's versatile vocal repertoire spans from early Baroque to contemporary music, including his compositions. This range helped him reach the finale of the Dutch TV program ARIA 2024 on NPO 1, produced by Medialane. The competition ran for nearly two months, beginning in October, when he competed against nine other talented classical singers. The judges included prominent figures from the Netherlands' opera scene, such as Rosemary Joshua, Tania Kross, and Eva-Maria Westbroek, along with other industry professionals.
The intense competition pushed him to rely on his technical skills and grow his network throughout the Netherlands. Preparing the music from memory and performing live in front of an audience presented significant challenges.
During the program, he had the opportunity to work with and learn from industry experts, including Dutch composer and conductor Leonard Evers, who led the National Youth Orchestra (NJO) during the program, as well as Lochlan Brown, who served as corepetitor and pianist.
In April 2023, during his final year of his bachelor's program, Nima was selected as one of four finalists in the 21st Music Awards Maastricht competition themed around Italy. He competed against top Master's and Bachelor's classical singing students at the Conservatorium Maastricht. Nima was honored to win both the Jury and Audience prizes, totaling €6,000. He performed four different pieces, including his own composition titled "Spaghetti," which he wrote specifically for the contest.
The jury comprised Waut Koeken (intendant of Opera Zuid), Christianne Stotijn (Dutch Mezzo-Soprano), Stefan Rosu (former intendant of Philharmonie Zuidnederland), and Madeleine Landlinger (artistic director of the Antwerp symphony orchestra).
As an Altus with an endless passion for Johann Sebastian Bach’s music, he gathered a talented ensemble in the summer of 2024. He sang while conducting the Cantata ‘Vergnügte Ruh’ BWV 170 at the Conservatorium Maastricht as his last singing exam before he decided to start his new Master’s degree in Cologne, Germany.
In October 2024, he was chosen for a Bach Masterclass with renowned interpreter Philippe Herreweghe and soprano Dorothee Mields in Ghent, an opportunity few could secure due to the high demand.
Being an active choir conductor, in addition to his solo work, allows him to view music from both an external and internal perspective. Over the past few years, he has led several ensembles in the region, including Voix la, Pro Arte, and Madan Sara. Through this leadership, he has shaped beautiful outcomes using the human voice, leveraging his vocal skills to achieve meaningful goals.
His passion for choirs and choir music has driven him to study various musical styles, ranging from Gregorian chant to Eastern music. This exploration has enriched his appreciation for choir music and sparked an interest in choir composition.
One of his recent choral compositions for six female voices, titled “Soleils Couchants,” is based on a poem by Paul Verlaine. He conducted and recorded this piece independently, and it presented a significant challenge for him as a conductor. The complex harmonies, unconventional colors, irregular meter, and the strong emotions embedded in Verlaine’s French poem made conducting the piece particularly difficult.
Nima’s compositions showcase his diverse influences and adaptability, spanning Lieds, choral a cappella, orchestral works, and improvisations. His recent piece, “Khane Chaharom” (The Fourth Labor), based on a libretto by Ferdowsi, premiered in 2023 with the Zuiderwind ensemble. In this work, he incorporates unique musical elements from his Iranian heritage. Nima composed "The Fourth Labor" in the form of an oratorio, where he skillfully combines his countertenor and baritone voice types to perform as both the narrator and the hero, Rostam.
In addition to composing music, Nima has a deep, ongoing interest in improvised music, whether playing the piano, collaborating with an ensemble, or performing a cappella.
Dutch composer Gerard Beljon has greatly appreciated Nima’s Persian improvisation techniques and has crafted his latest composition for Nima, along with two other soloists, and the professional ensemble Studium Chorale, led by Hans Leenders.
This piece is divided into three parts, with the third part set to premiere in June 2025. During the performance, Nima will improvise in Persian with his lower voice, as well as sing as a countertenor in a more Western style.