Hossein Alizadeh (; born 24 August 1951) is an Iranian musician, composer, radif preserver, researcher, educator, and a prominent performer of the tar, shurangiz and setar. Alizadeh has collaborated with numerous vocalists and instrumentalists, including Shahram Nazeri, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, Alireza Eftekhari and Jivan Gasparyan. He has also performed with various orchestras and ensembles, both in Iran and internationally, contributing significantly to contemporary interpretations of Persian classical music. Music career
Alizadeh was born in 1951 in Tehran. His father was from Urmia and his mother from Arak. As a teenager he attended secondary school at a music conservatory until 1975. His music studies continued at the University of Tehran, where his focus was composition and performance. He began postgraduate studies at the Tehran University of Art. After the Iranian Revolution, he resumed his studies at the University of Berlin, where he studied composition and musicology.
Alizadeh plays the tar and setar. He has performed with two of Iran's national orchestras, as well as with the Aref Ensemble, the Shayda Ensemble, and Masters of Persian Music. In Europe, his first professional performance was with the Bejart Ballet Company’s orchestra in a performance of a Maurice Béjart ballet called Golestan.
Awards He has been nominated for the 2007 Grammy Award along with Armenian musician, Djivan Gasparyan, for their collaboration album, The Endless Vision. In 2008, he was voted as "Iran's most distinguished musician of the year".
On 28 November 2014, he refused to accept France’s high distinction in art, Legion of Honour.
Inventions Dad o Bidad: A new maqam in Persian music, through combining the gusheh of dad in dastgah of Mahour and the gusheh of bidad in dastgah of Homayoun. Sallaneh and Shoor-Angiz: Two new musical instruments derived from the ancient Persian lute barbat.
Works
2020 – Evanesce, with Hamavayan Ensemble 2014 – Eşqim Gəl, with Hamavayan Ensemble (Azerbaijani language) 2010 – Birthplace of Earth, with Hamavayan Ensemble, Ba Music Records. 2009 – Half Moon, Ba Music Records. 2009 – Echoes of Light with Madjid Khaladj, Ba Music Records. 2007 – Ode To Flowers, with Hamavayan Ensemble, Ba Music Records. 2006 – Endless Vision, with Djivan Gasparyan 2005 – Birds, with Madjid Khaladj and Homa Niknam, Ba Music Records. 2005 – Faryad (The Cry), with MR Shajaian, Keyhan Kalhor and H Shajarian, World Village Music 2003 – Sallaneh, Mahoor Institute 2002 – Bi To Be Sar Nemishavad (Without You), MR Shajarian, Keyhan Kalhor and Homayoun Shajarian, World Village Music 2001 – Chahargah & Bayat-e Tork with Hossein Omumi, M Ghavihelm, Mahoor Institute 2000 – Zemestan ast (It's Winter), Mehdi Akhavan Sales: Poems MR Shajaian: Vocals Hossein Alizadeh: Tar Keyhan Kalhor: Kamancheh H Shajarian: Vocals & tombak Soroush Co. 1999 – Raz-e No (Novel Mystery), Hossein Alizadeh: Composer, Tar, Tanbur Mohsen Keramati, Afsaneh Rasayi, Homa Niknam, Ali Samadpour: Vocals Daryush Zargari: Tombak Mahoor Institute Paria, Qesseh-ye Dokhtara-ye Nane Darya (Paria, Tale of Daughters of the Mother Sea) 1996 – Sobhgahi Hossein Alizadeh: Composer Mohsen Karamati: Vocals Mahoor Institute 1995 – Musique iranienne : improvisations (کنسرت بداهه نوازی : نوا و همایون ) : H. Alizadeh : tar & setar; Madjid Khaladj : tombak, Buda Records 1994 - Paykubi Hossein Alizadeh: Setar Daryush Zargari: Tombak Mahoor Institute 1993 – Hamnavaei Hossein Alizadeh: Tar Arshad Tahmasbi: Tar Dariush Zargari: Tombak Mahoor Institute 1991 – Ava-ye Mehr (Song of Campassion), Hossein Alizadeh: Composer Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments of Iran 1990 – No Bang-e Kohan (Ancient Call-Anew) Mahoor Institute 1988 – Shourangiz (Song of Campassion), Hossein Alizadeh : Composer Sheyda and Aref Groups Shahram Nazeri: Vocals Mahoor Institute 1989 – Torkaman, Hossein Alizadeh: Setar Mahoor Institute 1988 – Raz-o-Niaz, Hossein Alizadeh: Composer Sheyda and Aref Groups Alireza Eftekhari: Vocals Mahoor Institute 1986 –Dream 1983 – NeyNava, Hossein Alizadeh: Composer String Orchestra of the National Radio and Television of Iran Djamshid Andalibi: Ney Soloist 1983 – Osyan (Revolt) 1977 – Hesar 1977 – Savaran-e Dasht-e Omid (Riders of the Plain of Hope)
Film scores Taboo, 2015 The Song of Sparrows, 2008. Half Moon, 2006. Turtles can fly, 2004. Abjad ("First Letter"), 2003, composed by Abolfazl Jalili. Zamani baraye masti asbha ("A Time for Drunken Horses"), 2000. Doxtaran e xorshid ('Daughters of the Sun") directed by Maryam Shahriya, 2000. Gabbeh, 1995. Del Shodegan directed by Ali Hatami, 1992. Az A'sar, ("From Eons Ago")
References
Further reading Laudan Nooshin, in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, edited by Stanley Sadie, second edition (Macmillan, London, 2001). . (Oxford University Press, 2001). .
External links
A BBC Persian interview with Hossein Alizadeh (in Farsi) Hossein Alizadeh at Iran Chamber Society Hossein Alizadeh at Iranian.com Hossein Alizadeh at Setar.info Hossein Alizadeh: National Geographic World Music