Mona Matbou Riahi
1990 in Teheran, Iran / Vienna-based
Performer-Composer-Improviser

“Listening to this musician ensures a journey far and wide, evoking many images through her deep emotional range. / She is undoubtedly one of the European voices that already matter and will continue to do so in the years to come.” – Citizen Jazz-MONA MATBOU RIAHI, LET FREEDOM COME/  Edition du 14 mai 2024 

“Mona’s clarinet is a tether to the mortal realm. ”  – The free jazz collective / 05 September 2024

Mona Matbou Riahi, born in Tehran in 1990, is a captivating musician whose her passion for music led her to the Tehran Conservatory of Music during her formative years. At the age of 17, she embarked on a transformative journey, venturing to Vienna to further her studies at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts (MDW). Since then, Vienna has become her playground, where she thrives as a performer, composer, and improviser.

Mona’s approach to music is truly unique, captivating audiences with her mesmerizing performances. Her music seamlessly blends contemporary and classical elements, combining improvisation, electronic experimentation, and innovative techniques to explore new and unheard sounds. She has graced stages in various artistic formations and projects, collaborating with dancers, actors, and multimedia artists, and has earned recognition at world-renowned festivals and prestigious concert venues.

Since 2016, with her album ‘Narrante,’ Mona has been a part of the esteemed German music label ECM Records. 

With her boundless technical abilities, passion for artistic exploration, and commitment to pushing boundaries, Mona Matbou Riahi continues to redefine possibilities.

Collaborations

Anthony Braxton, Zsófia Boros, François Couturier, Anil Eraslan, Anja Lechner, Lukas Kranzelbinder, Maja Osojnik, Mario Rom, Lukas Koenig, Manu Mayr, Golfam Khayam, Millycent, Mira lu Kovacs, Clemens Wenger, Golnar Shahyar, Björn Meyer, Mahan Mirarab, Beate Wiesinger, Alexander Krannabetter, David Six, Philipp Kienberger, Alexander Yannilos, Johannes Schleiermacher, Jakob Gnigler, Anna Clare Hauf, Jelena Popržan,  Simon Stockhausen, Matija Schellander, Korhan Erel, Klaus Gesing, Cymin Samawatie, Ketan Bhatti, Martin Stegner, Dave Smith, Nick Dunston, Bukhard Stangl , Wu Wei and many more.

Curatorial Projects:

2023: Artistic Director and Curator of DE/semble, a Festival for Jazz and Adventurous Music :  https://www.de-semble.at/

2023: Curator for the free music forum concert series : https://freemusicforum.org/


Performances at

Jazzfest Berlin, Festival Internacional de jazz de la Cuidad de Mexico (Mexico City), Jazztopad, Jazz Cerkno, Kick jazz Festival, Wiener Konzerthaus, Konzerthaus Berlin, Jazz and the City, Rudolstadt-Festival, International Jazz Festival Saalfelden (Internationales Jazzfestival Saalfelden)Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige, Porgy&Bess (Vienna), Popfest 2023 (Vienna), SWR NEW JAZZ Meeting, Wien Modern, Women in Jazz, Elbphilarmonie Hamburg, Odeon Theater,  Sunset Sunside Jazz Club (Paris),Festival Les Nuits du Monde, Festival Ellas Crean (Madrid), Kings Place (London), Rich Mix {vaakeast Festival}(London), Tonhalle Düsseldorf, Blues House (Mailand), Meridian Arts Centre (Toronto), Glatt und Verkehrt, Spielboden Dornbirn, Multiphonics/Cologne Jazz and World Music Festival, Beeflat Bern, Music Unlimited Wels, Kaleidphone Ulrichsberg, Jazzwerkstatt Wien, Rhiz, etc.


Theatres and Performances

  • 2024: TRANS:TROUBA, PARTIZIPATIVES MUSIKFORSCHUNGSLABORATORIUM – COMMUNITY MUSIC PROJECT, EXPERIMENTELLE, TRANS-TRADITIONELLE MUSIK-PERFORMANCE
  • 2024:Peitschenstueck (Whip piece):  Alireza Daryanavard Regie, Katja Pech Bühne Kostüme, Mona Matbou Riahi Musik, Leonard Nickel Licht, Johannes Nölting Dramaturgie, Kathinka Schroeder Dramaturgische, Mitarbeit Mit Derek Nowak, Clara Devantié, Shirin Eck
  • 2023:RE:VISION III 05/23, PARTICIPATORY ARTS – NEW TRANSCULTURAL MUSIC-COMMUNITY LABS
  • 2023: Chronik der Revolution. Alireza Daryanavard Regie, Katja Pech Bühne, Anneke Goertz Kostüme, Mona Matbou Riahi Musik Reza Majdodin Video, Leonard Nickel Licht, Daniel Grünauer, Mit Nina Bruns, Gabriel Schneider, Amelie Willberg, Corinna Kirchhoff
  • 2023: Stadt unter Belagerung,Mit Zeynep Alan, Yuria Knoll, Morteza Tavakoli, Anne Wiederhold, Textfassung und Inszenierung :Alireza Daryanavard
  •  2022: Blutiger Sommer. Die Revolution der Frauen, Mit: Myassa Kraitt, Mona Matbou Riahi, Simonida SelimovićInszenierung: Alireza Daryanavard, Ensemble Text: Myassa Kraitt, Mona Matbou Riahi, Alireza Daryanavard Musik: Mona Matbou Riahi Bühnenbild & Kostüm: Geraldine Massing Produktionsleitung: Mascha Mölkner Künstlerische Mitarbeit: Sophie Berghäuser
  • 2022: MusicScapes: re:vision part ||/Partizipation.Prozess.Performance Volkertplatz
    in Kooperation mit VereinPiramidops TeamFrauentreff, Filzwerkstatt Obenaus , Rami Vienna
  • 2022: re:vision || Glaskasten a musicscapes project with Mona Matbou Riahi, clarinet, sounds and artwork/ installation Anthia Loizou curated by Annemarie Mitterbäck
  • 2022: Dein Oxy. Musiktheater. von und mit: Lisa Florentine Schmalz, Kerstin Steeb, Cymin Samawatie, Pauline Jacob, Sina Dotzert, Lisa Heinrici, Mona Matbou-Riahi, Marie Gimpel, Hanna Naske, Filomena Krause, Martha Luise Schmalz, Georg Conrad und Leonora Scheib
  • 2021: re:Vision Projekt 09/21 am Volkertplatz/
    Robyn Schulkowsky, Björn Wilker Schlagwerk, Mona Matbou Riahi, Klarinette, Sounds, Romy Kolb, Tanz, Choreografie,Annemarie Mitterbäck, Idee, Dramaturgie,
    MusicScapes – Musik- & Kunstprojekte im gesellschaftlichen Kontext in Kooperation mit dem Jugendzentrum J.at Tim Jat, der Lebenshilfe Rueppgasse, Lenz Concordia und VereinPiramidops TeamFrauentreff
  • 2021: sichtbar hörbar – hörbar sichtbar werden (Kulturkatapult/Das ZMV14  in Kooperation mit der Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien ein Musik- und Filmvermittlungsprojekt)
  • 2021: Anatomie der Sehnsucht : Mari Steiner
  • 2020: Ludwig van JETZT (A Composition project + Workshops for schools in Krems),Annemarie Mitterbäck)
  • 2020: Ganymed in Power( Jacqueline Kornmüller, wenn es soweit ist, KHM Wien)
  • 2019: Ganymed in Love (Jacqueline Kornmüller, wenn es soweit ist, KHM Wien)
  • 2019: Anthony Braxton’s Sonic Genome (Jazzfest Berlin, Berliner Festspiele)
  • 2019: Rojava ( Ibrahim Amir, Sandy lopicic, Volkstheater)
  • 2018: 51.SWR NEWJazz Meeting 2018 – On boit Lumumba. Mit Lukas Kranzelbinder 
  • 2017: raum macht musik: (Annemarie Mitterbäck: Concept,Art Director ,ORF / RSO Vienna/ Position: Coach and Musical Director)
  • 2017: Traiskirchen. Das Musical (Die schweigende Mehrheit, Wiener Festwochen)
  • 2016: Cinello (Jeunesse, Wiener Konzerthaus)
  • 2015/2017: Wüstenwind ( Tamburino, Jeunesse/ kulturen in Bewegung,lalala)
  • 2015: Projekt Almrauschen (Concert on the top of a mountain)
  • 2015: Anatol (Arthur Schnitzler, Herbert Föttinger, Theater in der Josefstadt)
  • 2013: Seven cities of love (tanz labor labyrinth)
  • 2013: Das kind der Seehundfrau (makemake Produktionen)
  • 2012: Falling Up (tanz labor labyrinth)

Orchestra

Trickster Orchestra, ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra(2017), Morgenland Chamber Orchetsra (2011-2014), Max Steiner Orchestra (2013-2014), Tehran Symphony Orchestra (Solo, Mozart Clarinet Concerto (2008))

Awards

 

Film Musics

  • 2021: Orthodontics: Mohammadreza Mayqani/ Nominated for the Short Film Award of the 74th Cannes Film Festival /2022 Sundance Film Festival
  • 2020: Spotted Yellow : Baran Sarmad- Nominations : Locarno International Film Festival 2020 for  Golden Pardino – Leopards of Tomorrow/Glasgow Short Film Festival 2021 for Bill Douglas Award for International Short Film/Chicao International Film Festival 2020 for Gold Hugo/
  • 2016: 24 frames :Abbas Kiarostami-  Legendary Iranian filmmaker/ Narrante/ Cannes Film Frstival : SPECIAL SCREENINGS – 70TH ANNIVERSARY EVENTS/ Awards: Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2017 : Artistic Acknowledgement/ International Cinephile Society Awards: ICS Award