Payam Taghadossi: Talented Iranian-Austrian Cellist

Payam Taghadossi (born in 1989) started his musical education at the age of 4 years with Monika Scherbaum in Bregenz (Austria). At the Conservatory Feldkirch he joined the class of Imke Frank and Martin Merker. Later he studied in Zurich (Switzerland) with Thomas Grossenbacher and Christian Proske, where he 2011 graduated as a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance. Two years later as the student of Rafael Rosenfeld he received his Master of Arts in Music Performance diploma and later graduated as a Master of Arts in spezialized Music Performance in 2016 from the Hochschule für Musik Basel FHNW.

Audio FileWatch Payam playing cello at the age of 18.

The cellist won several awards. (e. g. 1st prize and a special award at the competition of the International Fajr Music Festival (2008), the 2nd Prize at the International Karl Davidov Cello Competition in Latvia. Furthermore he is a 5 times winner of the 1st prize at the austrian national Prima La Musica Competition).

As a soloist he has performed Tschaikovsky`s Rokoko Variations with the Basel Symphony Orchestra in Switzerland, the Schumann Cello and Brahms Double Concerto with the Orchestra of Albstadt in Germany, the Haydn C-Major Cello Concerto with the Ensemble Viatores in Austria, the Beethoven Tripel Concerto with the Orchestra Liechtenstein-Werdenberg and Tschaikovky`s Pezzo Capriccioso with the Philharmonie Budweis.

He received further impetus by attending masterclasses of David Geringas, Ivan Monighetti, Frans Helmerson, Wolfgang Boettcher, Miklos Perenyi, Reinhard Latzko, Jens-Peter Maintz, Wolfgang Emmanuel Schmidt, Valter Despalj and Wenn-Sinn Yang. He received scholarships by the Meadow Mount School of Music (New York), the P.E. Förderkreis (Mannheim, Germany) and the International Richard Wagner Association.

One focus of his musical activities is chamber music. In 2009 he founded, together with Romaine Bolinger and Alexander Boeschoten, the piano trio “Gagliano Trio”. The Trio gave it`s debut in 2009 at the Zurich University of Arts. During its studies the ensemble was decisively influenced by Stephan Goerner (Carmina Quartet), Benjamin Engeli (Tecchler Trio), Eckart Heiligers (Trio Jean Paul), Rafael Rosenfeld (Merel Quartet), Zakhar Bron, Thomas Grossenbacher und Prof. Homero Francesch. The Trio has already been a guest at international concert venues and festivals (e. g. Schubertiade Hohenems (Austria), Kammermusik Basel, Rüttihubeliade). Their repertoire draws a line from the works of the classical period, via the Romantic idea of „poetic music“ to the music of today. Several concerts were recorded by the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF). Recently the ensemble triumphed at the chamber music competition of the August Pickart foundation. By naming their ensemble Gagliano Trio, the three musicians refer to the neapolitan luthier family, who wrote music history by making stringed instruments in the 18th and 19th century. The violinst Romaine Bolinger plays on an instrument made by Ferdinando Gagliano and Payam Taghadossi plays a cello made by Lorenzo Ventapane, who was a pupil of Nicolo Gagliano.
Payam Taghadossi collected essential orchestral experience as an intern and later substitude at the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and as principal cellist with the Basel Sinfonietta, Bron Chamber Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra of Liechtenstein before the Basel Symphony Orchestra hired him in 2014. He appeared as a soloist and in various chamber ensembles from North America, Europe and the Middle East, to South Korea and Japan. He currently plays a Lorenzo Ventapane cello from the year 1820.

Post a Comment

Required fields are marked *
*
*
Your email is never shared.

Farhad Poupel: The Voice of the Shahnameh in the Orchestras Around the World

In an era when almost no trace of contemporary Iranian music can be heard in international concert halls, except (so-called!) avant-garde works that owe their existence solely to the fashionable slogans of the “pseudo-intellectual” crowd who have seized the already meager resources for performing classical music from the true artists of the field, the numerous performances of Farhad Poupel’s works shine as a ray of hope for lovers of sincere musical art. Without resorting to trendy slogans, he has kept the flame of Iranian classical music alive purely through the power of his artistry.

Five Major Myths About Mozart’s Life

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the renowned Austrian composer, is undoubtedly one of the greatest geniuses in the history of classical music. However, his life is surrounded by numerous myths and legends, some of which are not based on facts. This article explores five of the most common misconceptions about Mozart’s life.

From Past Days…

“I Will Never Perform Just for Women!”: Golnoush Khaleghi Passes Away in Exile

Golnoush Khaleghi, first Persian woman conductor and daughter of legendary composer Rouhollah Khaleghi, passed away on February 14. She was 80. Golnoush Khaleghi was the conductor of the NIRT (National Iranian Radio & Television) Choir in the 1970s. Shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution Ms. Khaleghi moved to the United States and founded the Rouhollah…
Read More »

Prominent Iranian Musicologist Passes Away in Vienna

Khosrow Djafarzadeh, musicologist and architect, who was also one of the main authors of HarmonyTalk journal passed away on 15 July 2019.

Polyphony in Iranian Music (V)

In addition to the above-mentioned, polyphony can be also formed when a melody is performed by several singers in different ambiances or different sound registers according to their physiologic abilities. An example of this has been performed in rituals of Khanqah of Ghaderi darawish of Mahabad[i].

Farhad Poupel’s piece, Road to Bach, performed at Suntory Hall

On June 19, 2021 , young Iranian composer and pianist, Farhad Poupel’s piece, Road to Bach, was performed at the prestigious Suntory Hall by the great Japanese pianist, Kotaro Fukuma. The piece was commissioned by Kotaro Fukuma to have its world premiere in Suntory Hall during a concert by the same name.

Inefficiency of some chords and harmonization systems in Iranian music

Discussions and research have been conducted on the harmonization of “dastgah” and melodies in Iranian music, and several books have been published on this topic, including “Armenian Music of Iran” by Ali Naghi Vaziri, “Harmony of Iranian Music” by Farhad Fakhreddini, and “Harmony of Iranian Music” by Ali Ghamssari. A master’s thesis titled “Presenting a Solution for Harmonizing Based on the Structure of Tritone Intervals” was written by Atefeh EinAli in 2014. Additionally, the invention and use of “Even Harmony” by Morteza Hannaneh should be mentioned.

Music education in third-world countries

Music education in third-world countries is facing many problems that limit access to it and it’s full of challenges. These rising and falling obstacles are made of the socioeconomic, cultural educational systems, etc.

Rare documents of Tehran Opera Company published in Europe

The year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of Evlin Baghcheban’s death. She played a crucial role to promote opera and choral music in Persia (Iran). Born to an Assyrian-French family in Turkey, she studied singing and piano at the Ankara State Conservatory. In 1950 Evlin married the Persian composer and fellow student Samin Baghcheban and moved to Tehran.

A note on “Illusion or Ingenuity” article

The author of the “Illusion or Ingenuity” article, who is apprehensive of the future of the Music in Iran, enumerates some symptoms of the music weakening in the country for example decreasing in the quality of the music as well as lack of the innovation in creating them, a gradual decline in the music public taste and the drop in the application of layered sound and polyphony in music. He explains that one reason for this gradual weakening might be our unawareness of the fact that we are not so intelligent nation. He believes that we, Iranians, have a comprehensive “Illusion of the high national intelligence “that make us ignorant of the unfavorable realities of our music and consequently no searching for the remedy is taking place. His point of view brings to the mind a patient who thinks he is healthy, therefore delays the treatment and finally is killed by the disease. The author also refers to the national difficulties which gradually will lower the national intelligence score such as the increased rate of the immigration and brain drain, low quality of the nutrition, incompetence of the education system and etc and predicts that the condition of the music of Iran might deteriorate in the future because of the mentioned illusion of its great status.

The Structure of Kurdistan Daf (I)

Today, percussion instruments have such a high place in music that are an essential element of orchestras. This has attracted many people to this type of instrument with roots as old as the first humans. A historical study of music, shows that humans used the sound of these instruments to defend themselves against wild animals and, over time, for alerting each other, signaling their readiness and encouraging people for war, ritual ceremonies, dances, etc. in a manner that is still clearly visible in music and some ritual ceremonies.

Iranian Fallacies: Iranian Chords

Finding a way to harmonize the Iranian music has been the subject of controversy among Iranian musicians for a long time. Some believe in the creation of harmonies for Iranian music based on a method which is similar to the tierce harmony; while others have either selected or invented some other methods. There are also some musicians who do not basically agree with the harmonization of the Iranian music.