Speakers: Master Nazeri and Hafez Nazeri

Topic: Lecture on Traditional Persian Music by Master Nazeri and Hafez Nazeri
Wednesday February 22, 2006

Master Shahram Nazeri

Born in the Kermansha province of Iran, Shahram Nazeri has become an icon of traditional Persian music.  His musical talents were first nurtured by his father at a very young age.  Throughout his childhood, he was under the tutorage of the most legendary masters of Persian music.  At the tender age of eleven, he accomplished his first television performance. By twenty-nine, he had gained a loyal fan base and released his first album which has held the record for the highest selling recording of traditional Persian music in Iran to this date.  Since then, Master Nazeri has released over 40 recordings. 

From early on, Master Nazeri began to sing and compose music to the works of Molana, Iran’s most cherished Sufi and transcendental poet.  He was the first traditional performer to bring the poetry of Molana to life.  Because of this, Master Nazeri was able to pioneer Sufi music and craft a new style of Persian composition which has distinguished him from all other performers.  He has played an instrumental part in introducing Molana to the west. 

Beyond the ancient works of Molana, Master Nazeri has also had the vision to initiate contemporary Persian poetry into traditional compositions.   His progressive view of traditional Persian music has lead to a collaborative effort with his son, Hafez in introducing a world view to traditional Persian music through The Path of Rumi Project.  In the year 2000, Master Nazeri performed with a talented group of young performers called The Rumi Ensemble.  The group performed in a series of landmark concerts in twenty Iranian cities.  Record breaking audiences attended sold out performances which were praised for their novel approach to orchestration, harmony and mode.  These musical innovations not only reached younger audiences, many of whom were newly attracted to Persian classical music, but also deeply influenced the musical scene in Iran and beyond.

Master Nazeri’s legendary performances have garnered international attention.  He has received first prize honors in Music festivals around the world.  In 1975, he won first prize honors for his performance at the Concourse de Musique Traditionelle.  Throughout his career, Master Nazeri has performed on many of the world’s most notable stages.  Most recently he had an unprecedented full-house at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles followed by a first-time performance at Irvine’s City Hall.  His music has traveled the world to sold-out audiences from North America to Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  He has shared his music at The Sfinks Festival in Belgium, Festa del Popolo in Italy; Theatre de la Ville in Paris and Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon.

In recent years, Master Nazeri was awarded Best Singer of Classical Persian Music by the Cultural Ministry of Iran.  The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) together with the Iranian Student Group honored Master Nazeri with the Living Legend Award for his many contributions in escalating Persian Traditional Music worldwide.  He has also received innumerous awards of honor and appreciation from various Organizations, including the prestigious NIPOC.

Master Nazeri is truly an idol of traditional Persian music and composition.  He is revered internationally for his brilliance in music and performance.  The New York Times has dubbed Master Nazeri as the “Persian Nightingale” and he is known worldwide as Iran’s Pavarotti.  Master Nazeri continues his efforts to elevate Persian traditional music to the world stage.

Hafez Nazeri

Despite his youth, Hafez Nazeri is one of Iran’s most influential and admired new composers. Son of the legendary musician Shahram Nazeri, Hafez began voice lessons at the age of three. At the age of seven, he studied the ancient instruments of Tanbur and Setar. Thereafter, Hafez became intrigued by the Daf. By the age of nine, Hafez had already begun to perform along side his father in many prestigious music festivals. At the age of sixteen he performed at festivals the likes of The Sfinks Festival in Belgium, Festa del Popolo in Italy; Theatre de la Ville in Paris and Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon.

In the year 2000, Hafez assembled a talented group of young performers called The Rumi Ensemble. Selected pieces from this tour have been preformed by The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra in London’s Elizabeth Hall, and in various music festivals throughout the world, such as Sweden and the Theatre de la Ville in Paris. His international appeal led to many invitations to speak at various media outlets including National Public Radio here in the United States.

In 2005, Hafez, along with new members of his Rumi Ensemble, launched a vastly successful North America tour called In the Path of Rumi. With the Rumi Ensemble, Hafez aspired to create a world view of traditional Persian music, assembling artists comprising of four nationalities and pioneering a new style of music he has called Modern Persian Traditional Music. He received Distinguished Young Composer Award from UCLA and innumerous awards of honor and appreciation from NIPOC.

Since completion of his studies in Composition and Conducting from New York’s Mannes College of Music, Hafez has become interested in building a musical bridge between eastern and western cultures and is currently focused on his latest Rumi Symphony project.

They have an upcoming concert at the California Center for Art in Escondido on February 25.