Mohammad Allahyari, the director-general of the Music Office at the ministry, accompanied by representatives of Iran Music Association, attended a ceremony at Eftekhari’s house to grant him the plaque on behalf of the Evaluation Council for Iranian Artists, Writers, and Poets.
Born in Isfahan, Iran, in 1958, Eftekhari, one of the most popular vocalists of the classical Iranian music, has released more than 70 albums throughout his career.
He learned the radifs (vocal lines) of Iranian music under late Iranian singer Jalaleddin Taj Esfahani at the age of 12, before going on to learn the basics of the classical music through the instructions of Jalil Shahnaz and Hassan Kassaei.
He worked with legendary Iranian santur player, Faramarz Payvar, and composer Abdolhossein Barazandeh, to release his debut album, ‘Atash-e Del’, in 1983.
Eftekhari has been privileged to have worked with some of the greatest Iranian musicians, namely Mohammad Alizadeh, Parviz Meshkatian, Mohammad-Jalil Andalibi, and Fereydoon Shahbazian, during his 38-year career.
‘Raz-o Niaz’ (1998), composed by Alizadeh; ‘Maqam-e Sabr’ (1994), by Meshkatian, and ‘Mehman-e To’ (1995), by Andalibi, are his collaborations with the Iranian musicians.
His 1996 album, ‘Niloufaraneh’, composed by Abbas Khoshdel, sold three million copies.
In ‘Yad-e Ostad’ (In Memory of the Master), Eftekhari covered some of the early songs composed by Alireza Tajvidi, which became one of the best-selling albums of the 90s.
Source: Iran Daily