Iranian Maestro Hossein Alizadeh Wins Asia World Music Award

Organized by the World Music Center (WMC), the biannual event commemorates artists who connect their countries with other parts of the world, especially Asia, YJC reported.

Alizadeh could not attend the ceremony due to prior engagements, and therefore, Iran’s ambassador to Seoul Hassan Taherian received the award which included a special plaque as well as a cash prize of $10,000.

Two years ago, Yo-Yo Ma, the famous Chinese American Musician became the winner of the first round of the award.

Born in Tehran Alizadeh, 65, is a classical composer, researcher, teacher, and tar and setar (Persian instruments) player who has made numerous recordings with prominent traditional vocalists including Mohammadreza Shajarian and Shahram Nazeri.

He has held many concerts in and outside the country and performed with two national orchestras, as well as with Aref Ensemble, Shayda Ensemble, and Masters of Persian Music group.

He studied music at Tehran University of Art. Later, he continued his studies at the University of Berlin, where he majored in composition and musicology.

Alizadeh was nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award along with Armenian musician, Djivan Gasparyan, for their joint collaboration in the album, ‘The Endless Vision.’ In 2008, he was voted as “Iran’s most distinguished musician of the year.”

His collaboration in the composition of over 20 film scores, has won  him the Crystal Simorgh Award at Fajr Film Festival for the movies ‘Gabbeh’ (1995), ‘The Ugly and the Pretty’ (1998), ‘The Song of Sparrows’ (2008) and ‘The Queen’ (2012).

The innovative musician has also created two new musical instruments ‘Sallaneh’ and ‘Shoor-Angiz,’ both derived from the ancient Persian lute ‘barbat’. Alizadeh has also penned several books related to music.