TEHRAN – Iranian composer and tar virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh donated the handwritten score of his 1983 concerto for ney and string orchestra, “Neynava”, to the Music Museum of Iran on Saturday.

The donation was made during a ceremony the Niavaran Cultural Center organized to celebrate his 68th birthday, the center announced on Sunday.

Tehran Mayor Piruz Hanachi and several musicians including maestro Farhad Fakhreddini, managing director of the museum, Ali Moradkhani and Niavaran Cultural Center director Abbas Sajjadi attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Alizadeh said that he is happy to be living in a country where people still have mercy on him despite all the problems they are dealing with these days.

“We have been able to preserve music with the help and support of people, and I hope all the officials including the mayor make more efforts to promote art and culture, especially music,” Alizadeh said. 

The mayor also presented a birthday congratulations letter to Alizadeh.

“As the mayor of Tehran, I am so happy and pleased you are still living in the city of Tehran on your 68th birthday. I hereby present this letter to you and I hope we will enjoy your kind presence in this city and that you will perform with love and kindness for years to come,” Hanachi wrote in the letter. 

Alizadeh presented the score to the mayor to be later displayed at the museum.

The mayor also presented Alizadeh with two copies of valuable books on the architecture of Tehran.

The Tehran Symphony Orchestra under the baton of maestro Ali Rahbari performed “Neynava” several times.

“Neynava” opened the 31st Fajr International Music Festival in February 2016. It was also performed at the closing ceremony of the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival in April 2016.

Also in 2006, Iran’s Rudaki Orchestra performed “Neynava” at the Saint Germain Auditorium in Paris.

Photo: Composer Hossein Alizadeh (L) gives the score of his 1983 hit “Neynava” to Tehran Mayor Piruz Hanachi at the Niavaran Cultural Center on August 24, 2019. (Honaronline/Hassan Motahhari) 

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