Dâryuš Makâni is a composer and musician based in the San Francisco Bay Area. From a young age, Makâni showed facility at the piano and in composition, and began music lessons early in his grade school years. He completed his undergraduate studies in composition from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 2024 and has studied with prominent composers in Northern California such as Richard Cionco, Leo Eylar, and Elinor Armer.

In his concert music, Makâni’s main focuses are chamber and vocal music. He has always studied and played music across many genres, and often borrows elements from different styles. Permeating his compositions are rhythms and patterns distinctive of minimalism, however they more often serve as a textural element rather than something to more strictly build a piece of music around. Makâni is deeply passionate about how language affects music, specifically how it shapes rhythm and melody. In May of 2024, he premiered a preview of his opera collaboration with librettist & composer Marie Johnson, entitled The Disappearance of Ava Morgan to warm reception at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Makâni has composed soundtracks for films and video games, such as Smithsonian American Art Museum’s “Beyond The Wall” (2019) and Endangered Rangers (2020). He instructs piano and composition at the MidPeninsula Music Academy in Redwood City, and is soon to serve as one of the school’s artistic directors. Makâni writes soundtrack for video games and internet projects under the name Ference. He also plays in several bands, including Market Street Station, a duo that blends funk and classic rock, and Aphantasia, a progressive rock band.

Makâni loves his urban lifestyle, frequenting cafe’s and cycling to work. He believes in a future where community is key, and where creating music can be a part of daily life for everyone.