Bio
Shooka Afshar, Soprano, Harvard Award Winning Soprano, Vocal Coach, and City of Boston Certified Artist, is a distinguished classical/opera singer from Iran, composer, flutist, pianist, and music entrepreneur. Trained in vocal therapy at the Boston Medical Center for 7 years, she combines her comprehensive understanding of voice mechanics with her artistic skills to guide and heal others through music. She completed her undergraduate and received her Master’s degree in Classical Vocal Performance at Longy School of Music in Boston in 2014.
As a fervent advocate for women's rights, Shooka's recent mixed media project, an opera titled "Women / Immigration / Fight or Flight," portrays women overcoming extreme challenges to discover their true selves and break free from society's chains. This opera premiered online at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston in March 2021 and in person in March 2023.
In July 2022, Shooka led an artist in residency near Milan, Italy, composing and touring her latest mixed media art "The Manipulation Project". This contemporary piece includes a music band with graphic scoring, painters, and dancers, exploring the psychological journey and empowerment of individuals in manipulative relationships and how they can eventually leave the toxic relationship. She will be touring both this project and her opera "Women / Immigration / Fight or Flight" starting Summer 2024.
Singing Iranian folk tunes with a classical technique, Shooka honors the legacy of her role model, Monireh Vakili, a world-renowned Iranian opera singer who passed away a few decades ago. In 2017, she formed the Sarazamin Ensemble, with Matt Savage as the constant member and pianist, and a rotating lineup of talented musicians.
Her dedication to her craft and advocacy, coupled with her recent tour and composition work with a dynamic group of musicians, painters, and actors in Italy, underscores her commitment to pushing artistic and societal boundaries. With a documentary detailing her life story soon to be released, created by Asma Khoshmher for the documentary department at Emerson College, Boston, Shooka Afshar continues to be a symbol of artistry, resilience, and empowerment in the classical music and opera scene.