Two acclaimed traditional singers of different generations are to conduct a joint concert tour across the country.
Hossein Khajeh Amiri, 85, known as Iraj, and Salar Aghili, 40, are planning a concert tour after the fasting month of Ramadan (started May 17).
“It was agreed that I’d accompany Master Iraj at the concerts where we are to perform duets,” Iran Art quoted Aghili as saying on its Persian website.
The two singers had been discussing a joint tour for some time.
Earlier, speaking about the veteran singer, Aghili had said, “when I started singing, I remember I wished I could be able to sing satisfactorily till the age of 65. Being over 80, the master has still the ability. Throughout the history of Iranian music, his singing is simply beyond comparison.”
Born in Kashan, Iraj began learning traditional Persian singing (avaz) under his father’s tutelage at age 6. His grandfather was a singer at the royal court of Naser al-Din Shah (1831-1896), a king of the Qajar dynasty.
Iraj’s professional career started when master composer Abolhassan Saba (1902-1957) introduced him to the national radio station when he was barely 14.
Singing for the traditional Persian music radio program ‘Golha’ (flowers), Iraj worked with renowned musicians including Ali Tajvidi (1919-2006), Parviz Yahaqqi (1936-2007), Jalil Shahnaz (1921-2013), Ruhollah Khaleghi (1906-1965), Farhang Sharif (1931-2016) and Asadollah Malek, 75.
Iraj has sung almost 2000 songs in over 60 years. His songs have been broadcast from 10 radio programs, featured in 100 films and included in 10 albums.
The 85-year-old singer resumed live performances in 2016 after a 16-year hiatus and sung for fans in Bandar Abbas, Kish Island and Qazvin. Last year he appeared at a joint concert with his pop singer son, Ehsan, in Tehran.
Now in his eighties, Iraj still has a sonorous voice and has surprised his fans with impressive performances both at concerts and in his albums.
A prominent vocalist among the young Iranian traditional musicians, Salar Aghili is dedicated to passing on the values of Persian music from masters such as Mohammad Reza Shajarian to the next generation.
His silky voice and tendency to produce genuine traditional music have elevated him to a higher pedestal in music forums.
