Short Bio:
Kahan Taraporevala is an award-winning composer, a producer, and an educator. Born in 1999 and growing up in Mumbai and Singapore, he studied the piano from age five. Striving to bring people together through the transformative power of music, Kahan's compositions aim to engender meaningful conversations that transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries.
Kahan's works have been performed by choirs and ensembles in the United States, Canada, and India. Kahan has a BM in Music Composition (Founders Scholar) with a Minor in Conducting from the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University (2022) and an MM in Music Composition from the University of North Texas (UNT) College of Music (2024). He is currently pursuing a PhD in composition at UNT.
Long Bio:
Kahan Taraporevala is an award-winning composer, a producer, and an educator. Born in 1999 and growing up in Mumbai and Singapore, he studied the piano from age five. Striving to bring people together through the transformative power of music, Kahan's compositions aim to engender meaningful conversations that transcend cultural and linguistic boundaries.
Kahan's works have been performed by choirs and ensembles in the United States, Canada, and India. Kahan has a BM in Music Composition (Founders Scholar) with a Minor in Conducting from the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University (2022) and an MM in Music Composition from the University of North Texas (UNT) College of Music (2024). He is currently pursuing a PhD in composition at UNT.
At IU he studied under Dr. Don Freund, Dr. Claude Baker, Dr. David Dzubay, and Dr. P. Q. Phan. Kahan completed a MM at UNT under Dr. Drew Schnurr, Dr. Kirsten Soriano, and Dr. Sungji Hong.
Kahan learned the piano from the age of five in Mumbai, training for a number of years under Tatyana Dichenko (graduate of the Moscow State Conservatory). He spent his formative teenage years in Singapore where he trained under Jonathan Shin (graduate of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Singapore).
Kahan sang as a Tenor in the University Singers choir at the University of North Texas (2022-2024) directed first by Dr. Kristina MacMullen (2022-2023) and then by Dr. Marques L. A. Garrett (2023-2024). He has also been part of the NOTUS Ensemble at Indiana University (2021-2022) directed by Dr. Dominick DiOrio, University Chorale at Indiana University (2018-2021) directed by Dr. Betsy Burleigh, and the Signing Tree Choirs at the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation (2005-2010, 2014-2016) directed at different times by Coomi Wadia and Salome Rebello.
In Mumbai and later in Singapore, from the ages of seven to sixteen Kahan trained as a ballet dancer. He performed in annual ballet performances and completed with distinction exams administered by the Royal Academy of Dance, U.K., up to the Intermediate level. His ballet training has contributed to successful collaborative dance projects with choreographers Keith Newman and Emily Moorer.
As a young piano player and music student in India, Kahan was an assistant teacher in the early music program of the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation, Mumbai for children aged two to six, and trained under Naheed Cruickshank, Founder and Director of the Reel Kids Music Club (CIC), Glasgow, Scotland. At the University of North Texas, Kahan had a Teaching Fellowship, teaching the course “Introduction to Digital Audio Workstations” to two sections of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral level students. Kahan is continuing to teach while pursuing Doctoral studies in composition and is part of the CEMI Team at UNT.
In the current global landscape, Kahan sees music making of paramount importance. He believes that music has the power to rise above cultural and linguistic boundaries, resonating with audiences on deeply emotional and intellectual levels. Kahan contributes through his compositions, working alongside dancers and artists, and his teaching positions.
