Zara Ali is an American composer and electronic sound artist based in Germany. Her art is positioned at the intersection of technology, philosophy, and speculative visions of the future. In her recent work she has explored themes such as post-human beings, digital algorithms and free will, and radiant virtual worlds.
She adamantly focuses her art on creating moments that place aesthetics as a fundamental medium for shaping human existence. Her music is exhibits a fine attention to electroacoustic tone color, hyper- imaginative dramaturgical programs, an expansive approach to harmonic writing, and a commitment to constant discovery of new sound using primarily digital technology processing techniques.
She is the winner of the Gaudeamus Prize (2023) as well as the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Prize (2021), as well as the Kulturkreis der Deutschen Wirtschaft music prize winner in 2025. She was the composer-in-residence for the Internationale Ensemble Modern Akademie from 2022-23, a fellow at Künstlerdorf Schöppingen in 2024, and is an artist-in-residence for Bielefeld Theater for the 2024-25 season. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Columbia University with studies in music composition, anthropology, and philosophy and Masters in Music Composition degrees from the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main and Hochschule für Musik Detmold.
Facts
1. Just signed with Ricordi Berlin.
2. Wants to write long-format masterworks for Orchestra and Electronics.
3. Currently writing a 1-hour operatic work for the Munich Biennale.
Questions and Answers
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
the imagined future at the intersection of desire
2. How and when did you get into making music?
as a young pup
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time? (yes we know it is difficult).
idk im not old enough for this question. i liked MGMT’s Congratulations album when I was 15 lol, was groundbreaking stuff for me at the time.
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
ensemble mosaik who are BADASS band
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
big desk at home or my favorite bench in the Park an der Ilm
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
invent a device to get stickers off old used desks
7. What was the last record/music you bought or listen?
im into Memphis Cult atm
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
God
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
this is yet to come, i can feel it
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
very+
11. What can we expect from your concert as part of Progetto Positano at the Kesselhaus Kulturbrauerei?
an effortful synthesis of craziness, desire, seeking, and calling out to you
