TEHRAN – Over 80 Iranian traditional, pop and classical ensembles will be giving performances during the 35th Fajr Music Festival in Tehran, which will open on February 13, Iran’s Music Office director, Mohammad Allahyari, said in a press conference on Tuesday.

The performances will be held at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall, Rudaki Hall, Niavaran Cultural Center and several other halls. 

Musicians from 25 provinces will attend the festival, which is also scheduled to be held in Bushehr, Khuzestan, Fars, Golestan, Zanjan, East Azarbaijan, North Khorasan, Sistan-Baluchestan and the Arvand Free Zone. 

The organizers also plan to honor maestro Nader Mashayekhi, pianist Ofelia Parto and Ashiq Hassan Eskandari, and tar virtuoso Hushang Zarif will be honored with the lifetime achievement awards during the closing ceremony of the festival on February 19.

He also noted that the Tehran Symphony Orchestra will be performing pieces by composer Behzad Abdi in memory of the victims of the Ukrainian aircraft, which was unintentionally targeted by Iran.

Iran’s National Orchestra will also commemorate Quds Force commander Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani during a performance.

Celebrated musicians from seven countries will be performing at the festival. 

Tunisian singer Dhafer Youssef, Belgian pianist Florian Noack and Italian jazz trumpeter Luca Aquino are among the musicians. 

Photo: Iran’s Music Office director Mohammad Allahyari attends a press conference at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on February 4, 2020 to brief the media about the 35th Fajr Music Festival. (ANA/Ali Ahmadvand)

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