{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{use Australian English|date=September 2025}} '''Amir Farid''' ({{langx|fa|امیر فرید}}) is an American-born Iranian-Australian classical pianist and chamber musician based in Melbourne. He has played piano in the Benaud Trio as well as the principal accompanist for the senior performing ensemble of the Australian Children's Choir.
==Early life and education== Amir Farid was born in Palo Alto, California. He is the son of the celebrated Iranian theatre and film artist Manouchehr Farid. Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979, Manouchehr Farid left Iran for the United States. Later the family emigrated to Australia.<ref name=bbc2007>{{cite web | title=I've always been eager to see Iran| website=BBCPersian.com| first= Babak |last=Azimi | publisher=BBC | date=7 September 2007 | url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/interactivity/debate/story/2007/09/070918_h_aussi_bahai | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250920064127/https://www.bbc.com/persian/interactivity/debate/story/2007/09/070918_h_aussi_bahai | archive-date=20 September 2025 | url-status=live | language=fa | access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref>
Farid studied at the University of Melbourne, graduating with honours in 2004.<ref name=bbc2007/>
Between 2003 and 2005 he attended the Australian National Academy of Music, where he worked with Geoffrey Tozer, Rita Reichman, and Timothy Young.<ref>{{cite web | title=About | website=AMIR FARID | url=http://www.amirfarid.com/about.html | access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref>
Later, Farid then undertook postgraduate studies in London at the Royal College of Music with Andrew Ball. He graduated in 2009 with distinction, as a scholar supported by the Gordon Calway Stone Memorial Award.
==Career== Farid has had a career as a pianist.<ref name=bbc2007/>
Since 2005 and {{as of|lc=yes|2025}}, Farid has been the pianist in the Benaud Trio, along with violinist Lachlan Bramble, and cellist Ewen Bramble. They have given concerts around the country, won prizes, and in In November 2015 they were ensemble-in-residence at the Adelaide Chamber Music School. Influenced by pop and jazz music, the trio play a repertoire that spans over 70 works, from Haydn to contemporary composers.<ref>{{cite web | title=About Benaud Trio | website=Benaud Trio | date=16 January 2021 | url=https://benaudtrio.com/about | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250920065427/https://benaudtrio.com/about | archive-date=20 September 2025 | url-status=live | access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref>
==Awards and nominations== In 2006 he won the first prize of the Australian National Piano Award.<ref>{{cite web | title=First Prize recipients | website=Australian National Piano Award | date=18 April 2025 | url=https://australianpianoaward.com.au/past-recipients | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250621200724/https://australianpianoaward.com.au/past-recipients | archive-date=21 June 2025 | url-status=live | access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref><ref name=bbc2007/>
In 2007 he was given the Encouragement Award at the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition | website=lev-vlassenko.com | date=1 May 2008 | url=http://www.lev-vlassenko.com/content/blogsection/5/27/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821112759/http://www.lev-vlassenko.com/content/blogsection/5/27/ | archive-date=21 August 2007 | url-status=dead | access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> In the same year he won the Geoffrey Parsons Award, an award for accompanists held by The Accompanists' Guild of SA Inc.<ref>{{cite web | title=Glimpses of the Guild's Past | website=The Accompanists' Guild of SA Inc. | date=3 May 1983 | url=https://accompanist.org.au/about-us/glimpses-of-the-guilds-past/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250806022533/https://accompanist.org.au/about-us/glimpses-of-the-guilds-past/ | archive-date=6 August 2025 | url-status=live | access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref>
===AIR Awards=== The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. {{awards table}} |- | 2013<ref name="13nom">{{cite web|url=https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/final-air-awards-2013-nominations-revealed-50000-prize-announced/|title=Final AIR Awards 2013 Nominations Revealed, $50,000 Prize Announced|website=tonedeaf|date=1 October 2013|access-date=20 August 2020}}</ref> |''Hymne à l’amour'' | Best Independent Classical Album | {{nom}} |- | 2015<ref name="15nom">{{cite web|url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/news/1-dads-courtney-barnett-lead-this-years-independent-music-award-nominations/#/slide/1|title=1 Dads, Courtney Barnett Lead This Year's Independent Music Award Nominations|website=MusicFeeds|date=7 September 2015|access-date=20 August 2020}}</ref> |''Amir Farid Plays Javad Maroufi: Golden Dreams and Other Works'' | Best Independent Classical Album | {{won}} |- {{end}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official|http://www.amirfarid.com/}} * {{official|https://benaudtrio.com/|Benaud Trio}} * Amir Farid playing Prokofiev's Toccata in D minor, Op. 11, recorded in January 2006: [https://web.archive.org/web/20111004021949/http://www.amirfarid.com/home/wp-content/plugins/coolplayer/mp3player.swf?file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amirfarid.com%2Fhome%2Faudio%2Fprok.mp3&autostart=false&repeat=false&width=450&height=80&showeq=true (Audio)]. * ''Benaud Trio'' at work: [http://www.benaudtrio.com/multimedia.html (Multimedia)]. * ''Benaud Trio's'' live recordings: [http://www.benaudtrio.com/audio.html (Audio)].
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farid, Amir}} Category:Australian people of Iranian descent Category:Musicians from Melbourne Category:University of Melbourne alumni Category:Australian classical pianists Category:Australian accompanists Category:Australian male classical pianists Category:Iranian pianists Category:Living people Category:21st-century American classical pianists Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century Australian male musicians Category:21st-century Australian musicians Category:21st-century Australian classical pianists