He is a graduate of McGill University in composition and music theory where he studied with Chris Paul Harman, Brian Cherney, Philippe Leroux and Sean Ferguson. Prior to this he also earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from Tehran University. Ashkan’s music has been performed by various ensembles internationally, including Exaudi, Wet Ink, Talea, le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne (NEM), Esprit Orchestra, etc., and also featured on such festivals as Manifeste 2014 at IRCAM, CIRMMT, the New Wave Young Composers festival in Toronto, The American Academy at Fontainebleau, and Domain Forget new music programs. He has won 2015 ACF Showcase competition, the Prix de Composition at Fontainebleau in 2013, two SOCAN Foundation awards in 2011 and 2012, etc. Ashkan is currently pursuing his doctoral studies in composition at Columbia University with Georg Friedrich Haas.