Mahan Esfahani is known mainly for his career as a harpsichordist in two major realms: the great works of the 17th and 18th centuries and for championing modern and living composers in halls and with orchestras on four continents. More recently he has a growing reputation as an active broadcaster and commentator with radio documentaries on a variety of musical and social topics for the BBC and articles for the The New Yorker, Guardian, and Opera. Born in Tehran, he grew up in the United States and has spent his post-university life living between Milan, Oxford, London, and more recently Prague, where he spends his time between concerts writing, collecting rare books, and studying ancient and modern languages.