Recognized for her dynamic conducting, innovative programming, and commitment to championing contemporary music, Asieh Mahyar is a conductor dedicated to expanding the orchestral repertoire through cross-cultural collaboration and meaningful educational experiences. Her work seeks to connect performers with audiences, amplify diverse voices, and foster artistic dialogue across cultures.

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Mahyar serves as Director of Orchestral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she leads the university's orchestral program while championing collaborations with living composers, interdisciplinary projects, and student-centered artistic initiatives. Recent projects include collaborations with Grammy-nominated Tejano legend Shelly Lares, reflecting her commitment to artistic collaboration and community engagement.

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She also serves as Guest Conducting Coach for Equilibrium Young Artists (EQ), an internationally recognized professional mentoring initiative founded by Grammy Award-winning soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan. EQ prepares exceptional early-career singers and conductors for the demands of the profession through intensive artistic mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and high-level performance opportunities. In this role, Mahyar coaches emerging artists in conducting and rehearsal technique.

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In addition, Mahyar serves as Guest Conductor and Assistant Director of Educational Outreach at the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, where she appears as a guest conductor and collaborates on the organization's educational outreach and community engagement initiatives.

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Mahyar was named a National Finalist in three categories of The 2026 American Prize: Professional Orchestra Conducting, College/University Orchestra Conducting, and College/University Orchestral Performance. Her additional honors include Third Prize at the Adrian Gnam International Conducting Workshop and Competition (2026), the Young Artist Merit Scholarship at the Eastern Music Festival (2022), the Conducting Apprenticeship at the National Music Festival (2023), and multiple research and artistic awards from Michigan State University.

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Before joining UT San Antonio, Mahyar served as Director of Orchestral Studies and Visiting Instructor of Music at Pacific Lutheran University. Earlier academic appointments include Assistant Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra, Opera, and Musique 21 Contemporary Music Ensemble at Michigan State University, Assistant Conductor of the Orchestras at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Assistant Conductor at the Tchaikovsky Music College of Yerevan, Armenia.

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Beyond academia, Mahyar has appeared as a guest conductor with the Grand Rapids Symphony, Marquette Symphony Orchestra, Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Northwest Mahler Festival Orchestra, among others. She previously served as Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra at the West Seattle Community Orchestras, where she led innovative programming featuring commissions, world premieres, and United States premieres.

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An active clinician, adjudicator, and educator, Mahyar has collaborated with youth orchestras, festivals, and music education organizations throughout the United States, including the Washington Music Educators Association, Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio, the Colorado State Music Teachers Association, the Mount Pilchuck Music Educators Association, the Chinook Music Educators Association, and the Valley Music Education Association.

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Mahyar has participated in prestigious conducting programs including the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, National Music Festival, Eastern Music Festival, Spokane International Conducting Workshop, Adrian Gnam International Conducting Workshop and Competition, Denver Philharmonic International Conducting Workshop, Conductors Retreat at Medomak, and The Conducting Institute. She has worked under the mentorship of Cristian Măcelaru, Octavio Más-Arocas, Gerard Schwarz, Richard Rosenberg, Miguel Harth-Bedoya, Kenneth Kiesler, Johannes Schlaefli, James Lowe, Lawrence Golan, Gregory Pritchard, Philip Greenberg, and Chelsea Tipton.

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Originally from Iran, Mahyar is currently completing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree (ABD) in Orchestral Conducting at Michigan State University under the mentorship of Octavio Más-Arocas. She holds a Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she studied with Morihiko Nakahara, and a Bachelor of Music with Honors in Choral Conducting from the Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, Armenia, where she studied under the mentorship of Hovhaness Mirzoyan and Ruben Asatryan.