Jamshied Sharifi, born October 17, 1960 in Topeka, Kansas, was an American composer. He began studying classical piano at age five and later learned multiple instruments. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sharifi studied Jazz Piano and Composition at Berklee College of Music, winning the Outstanding Jazz Pianist award in 1983. He led the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble from 1985 to 1992, recording two CDs and winning the Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival in 1991. Sharifi moved to New York City in 1992, focusing on film soundtracks for Muppets from Space, Down to Earth, Harriet the Spy, and Clockstoppers. His solo album A Prayer for the Soul of Layla (1997) won Best Contemporary World Music Album at the 1st Annual New Age Voice Music Awards. He won a Tony Award in 2018 for orchestrating the stage adaptation of The Band's Visit. Sharifi died on August 15, 2025.
