Our Team
The Dijilele team brings together musicians, designers, engineers, and artists who share a passion for music, technology, and creativity. Together, they help people discover new ways to learn, perform, and make music with Dijilele.
From early prototypes to live performances and workshops, each person brings a unique perspective. Meet the founders, product design lead, and Dijilele Artists who bring our digital musical instruments to life.
01 — The Founders
The founders guide the Dijilele team with a shared vision for making music more accessible and creative. Their backgrounds in music, technology, and design have helped shape the instruments and their development.
Ali Tehrani
Ali is the founder and visionary behind Dijilele. As a musician, educator, and digital systems designer, he combines his passion for traditional Persian music with modern technology. His vision drives the development of innovative musical instruments that open new possibilities for learning, creativity, and musical expression.
Narmé Hejri
Narmé is the co-founder of Dijilele. She brings extensive experience in design, creative leadership, and project development. With a background in architecture and human-centred design, she contributes a thoughtful, collaborative perspective to turning innovative ideas into meaningful experiences.
02 — Core Team
Hooman Tootoonchian
Hooman is an educational partner working with Dijilele to develop a learning program for Dijilele S. His collaboration focuses on exploring how the instrument can support music education and create engaging learning opportunities.
Sheida Marashi
Sheida leads product design at Dijilele with a human-centred approach. She focuses on how people discover, learn, and create with digital musical instruments. Her work connects user research, accessibility, and product experience to help make Dijilele intuitive, inclusive, and engaging.
03 — Dijilele Artists
Our Dijilele Artists bring the instruments to life through music, education, and live performances. They introduce audiences to new creative possibilities while sharing valuable feedback that supports the instruments’ development.
Adam Siemens-Rhodes
Adam helps showcase the creative capabilities of the latest Dijilele S prototype through engaging demonstrations and performances. In addition, his hands-on experience and feedback on the instrument’s features contribute to its ongoing development and refinement.
Bahareh Ameri
Bahareh created the Dijilele Beginner Series, a step-by-step guide for adults discovering music-making. Through approachable lessons, she helps new players build confidence, explore Dijilele’s capabilities, and express their creativity through music.
Jonathan Markov
Jonathan has introduced hundreds of people to Dijilele S through live events, workshops, and festivals. Through creative arrangements and performances, he showcases the instrument’s versatile capabilities and inspires audiences to explore new possibilities in music-making.
Mehrdad Jafari Raad
Mehrdad is a composer and Dijilele Artist who explores the creative possibilities of Dijilele M through original compositions. He also leads Dijilele M workshops in Toronto and Waterloo. Through these experiences, he introduces musicians to microtonal music and inspires new ways of creating and performing.
Nima Zarrinbakhsh
Nima is a Persian Tanbour player and R&D engineer who has contributed to Dijilele since its earliest prototypes. Through instrument testing, research, and feature development, he has helped shape Dijilele’s evolution. As one of the earliest Dijilele M players, he continues to showcase its musical possibilities at live events and group performances.
Vahid Zoghi
Vahid is a Dijilele Artist and R&D engineer who contributes to the instrument’s software development. He has helped advance several software features, expanding Dijilele’s capabilities and supporting its ongoing technical development.
Discover More About Dijilele
Want to learn how it all began? Read Our Story to discover the inspiration behind Dijilele.
You can also explore our digital musical instruments or join us at an upcoming event or workshop to experience Dijilele in person.