Veteran Iranian composer Hossein Dehlavi honored

TEHRAN,June 29(MNA) – Veteran composer Hossein Dehlavi, one of the founders of modern academic educational courses on Iranian music, was honored during a ceremony at the Iranian Artists Forum in Tehran on Wednesday evening. The chairman of the Board of Directors of the Music Office, Mohammad Sarir, tar virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh, and composer Hushang Kamkar were among the musicians and fans who attended the ceremony. Speaking at the ceremony, Sarir said that Dehlavi’s influence on Iran’s music has been immense. His major effort was focused on teaching national music and its best result was the training of the great masters of today’s music such as Alizadeh and Kamkar. A documentary on Dehlavi, made by Hamidreza Ardalan, was next screened for the participants, followed by a santur and tonbak duet performed by Dehlavi’s wife Susan Aslani (santur) and Fatemeh Seyyed-Mahmud (tonbak). Alizadeh next talked about the major role of Dehlavi in Iran’s music education. “Dehlavi was my first master and I have not seen anyone this serious in music. He saved Iran’s music indeed,” he added. Kamkar also gave a brief speech about the master. The ceremony was brought to an end with calling the master and his wife on stage to receive the plaque of honor. Dehlavi was born in 1927 in Tehran and studied composition at the Tehran Conservatory of Music with Hossein Nasehi. He studied Persian music with Abolhassan Saba. He was director of Saba Orchestra and the Academy of National Music. Dehlavi’s works include several compositions and three operas. He has also written several books on music including “Connection of Poetry and Vocal Music”.