Vienna-based Iranian oud player, vocalist, composer and improviser Avin Ahmadi is a nominee for the Austrian Jazz Prize 2026 in the Best Newcomer category. Born in Tehran in 2004, she has been active across the European and international music scene since 2023.

Avin’s musical language grows from the Iranian traditional music she studied and grew up with, while her encounters with jazz and improvisation continue to expand how she listens, composes and performs. Her compositions bring together Persian musical influences, contemporary approaches and the freedom of improvisation. Rather than working towards a fixed genre, she seeks a musical language that reflects her experiences and remains open to change.

Within this context, she has developed a clearly recognizable personal style, intertwining voice and oud into a singular expressive language.

Selected for NASOM (New Austrian Sound of Music), for 2025–2026, her solo project “Qayeq – قایق” has travelled across Europe, including the UK, West Asia and North Africa. Her work also includes the EP Liminal and duo collaborations with Lorenz Widauer and Victoria Kirillova.

Known for her solo and collaborative work, Avin brings an emotive, narrative approach to each performance. Shaped by her exposure to different musical cultures through collaborations with distinctive musicians worldwide, she shares a vivid, cross-cultural musical journey with her audiences.