Shajarian, Legendary Master of Persian Traditional Music

Mohammad Reza Shajarian was born on September 23rd, 1940, in Mashhad, Iran. He was five years old when he sang in his childhood privacy. Also, he began reciting the Qur’an when he was nine. Later, he continued his recites at religious and political gatherings. In 1952, the voice of Mohammad Reza Shajarian was broadcast for the first time on Khorasan Radio.

Mohammad Reza Shajarian has met a famous music teacher named Javan during his elementary school. In the following years, under the tutelage of Javan, Shajarian performed songs without instruments. Besides, he recited the Quran for Radio. Afterward, during his adolescence, Shajarian became acquainted with the santur (dulcimer), the traditional Persian music instrument. So, learning to play the dulcimer intensified his desire to expand his experiences in music and improve the dulcimer sound.

Then, in 1967, he moved to Tehran and became acquainted with many Iranian music masters. Some years later, Shajarian began his collaboration with Iranian national television programs. He also achieved the title of Distinguished Calligrapher in 1970. A year later, he met the esteemed poet Houshang Ebtehaj (Shadow) and collaborated with him in a radio program.

Then, in 1973, Iran’s legendary singer founded the Center for the Preservation and Dissemination of Music in collaboration with Persian music masters. The most prominent of these artists are Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Nasser Farhangfar, Hossein Alizadeh, Jalal Zolfonun, Davood Ganjei, Moghaddasi, Haddadi, and Dariush Safvat.

Since 1975, the performance of the great master of Iranian music for foreign countries has begun. Besides, in 1977, Maestro Mohammad Reza Shajarian founded Del Avaz Company. 

Interestingly, in 1978 he won first place in Quran recitation competitions all over the country.

In the mid-1980s, Shajarian began an extensive collaboration with Parviz Meshkatian, which resulted in the albums of Mahour, Bidad, Nava, Dastan, etc. Also, in the same years, he performed some concerts outside Iran with Aref, the Iranian traditional music group.

Notably, since 1989, Professor Mohammad Reza Shajarian has performed in the United States and Europe with the Pirniakan and Andalibi groups.

Altogether, maestro Shajarian has released various albums during his artistic life, and his masterworks inspire all musicians and vocalists, especially Persian-speaking singers.