Fariba Hedayati Nikfekr, born in Tehran, was introduced to traditional Iranian music by her ney-playing father. She began studying the setar in 1982 under Ata’ollah Janguk and later trained with masters like Ahmad Ebadi, Jalal Zolfonun, Hossein Alizadeh, and Daryush Talayi. Since 1987, her primary mentor has been Hossein Alizadeh, shaping much of her expertise.

Fariba's first public performance was with the all-women Khojaste group in 1992. She later founded Ava-ye Dust in 1994, leading the group in concerts in Iran and internationally, with compositions of her own. Her work includes albums such as Rozane and Aseman, as well as pieces like The Drop and Comfits and Candies. With over 30 years of teaching and performance experience, she now resides in Vancouver, Canada.