TEHRAN – Nasir Heidarian has been selected as the conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.

In a press release published on Sunday, the Rudaki Foundation, which manages the orchestra, said that Heidarian will hold the position for one year.

He is a graduate of the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz and has previously worked as a trombonist with the orchestra, which also performed several concerts under the baton of Heidarian as a guest conductor in 2015.

Former conductor Shahrdad Rohani quit in May 2020 after the Rudaki Foundation said that he was suffering from heart disease.

Over the past two years, the orchestra has worked with guest conductors in several performances, the latest of which was on May 5 under the baton of German maestro Wolfgang Wengenroth.

The appointment of Heidarian was also announced during a press conference maestro Majid Entezami held to brief the media about his collaboration with the National Orchestra in several concerts entitled “Along with Memories”.

Entezami is scheduled to conduct the National Orchestra in the concerts, which will be performed to commemorate the anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war in September.

However, the orchestra will do its rehearsals with Heidarian.

“Due to the physical problems I’m suffering from, Mr. Heidarian will be helping me,” Entezami said, and added, “He will prepare the orchestra for the performances and will join them in the rehearsals.”

Entezami’s scores for the movies “Kanimanga” and “A Place to Live” and the TV series “The Men of Angelos” and “Sheikh Bahai” will be performed during the concerts. 

“The Story of Khorramshahr” is another piece the orchestra will perform. Entezami composed the music in the 1980s to celebrate the liberation of Khorramshahr, the southwestern Iranian city which was captured by Iraqi forces for about two years.

“The composition consists of seven parts, each has its own unique story,” Entezami said.

“The piece features Khorramshahr as a peaceful city, which is seized by Iraqis. People begin fighting against the invaders and liberate the city,” he added.      

Photo: Maestros Nasir Heidarian (L) and Majid Entezami attend a press conference at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on July 31, 2022 to brief the media about the National Orchestra’s concerts in September. (Honaronline/Raha Ahmadi)  

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