Omoumi started studying at the age of 14 the ney, the traditional reed flute of Iran;[1] and studied music under ney master Hassan Kassai.[5] Early in his career he taught at the National Conservatory of Music in Iran.[1] In 1972, he received a PhD in architecture from the University of Florence.[5] In 1984, he moved to Paris where he taught at Sorbonne University.[5]