The festival, taking place from February 12-18, aims to introduce and honor the best works of Iranian musicians, elevate the art of music, enhance the auditory taste and culture of its audience, and protect the national identity based on Iranian and religious teachings.
Mahdavi said this year’s event includes both competitive (Barbad Award) and non-competitive sections, focusing on national unity.
The competitive section covers categories such as vocal and instrumental albums (traditional, regional, classical, fusion, children and youth, orchestral, and film music), research (music books, theses, and dissertations), live performance awards (Western classical and Iranian classical music), composition (focused on national unity), music and lyrics, singles, and film scores.
A total of 226 entries were received, including 33 audio albums, 14 music books, 10 theses, 39 compositions, 10 music and lyrics, 39 music and media works, 42 singles, and 2 film scores.
The Barbad Award, a prestigious trophy named after the renowned Sasanian-era musician, will be presented to the winners.
Originally introduced in 1977, the award has a rich history, although it was discontinued after the Islamic Revolution and later reintroduced in 2016.
