The response of the fired musicians to the interview of the managing director of Rudaki Foundation

1 August 2023 – 1:13 pm Posted in Articles' List, Iranian Classical Music, News

Following an interview by Mehdi Salem, the director of the Rudaki Foundation, with the “Our Music” website, a response from the fired musicians was published in response to this conversation, which you read:
The National Symphonic Orchestra is not a place to discover talent Mr. Mehdi Salem, greetings and respect Since a few days ago, an interview with you was published by the “Our Music” website, some issues were discussed that surprised the experts and other readers and the reader’s mind goes to this side that your advisers deliberately or inadvertently knowingly or unknowingly have a wrong and misleading purpose. Therefore, we decided to accompany you as experts in this profession and art and those who have studied music in high school and university for nearly 20 years and have been present in the highest artistic degree of the country, namely the symphony orchestra, and convey some issues to your esteemed opinion: 1- In none of the orchestras around the world, salaries are paid based on position and seat, but based on the years of presence of that musician and experience in the orchestra. This is a misconception that the seat of musicians is like paying for a ticket seat and position of the audience. The musicians’ protest was based on the wrong principle of this issue. 2- Regarding the selection of musicians by the orchestra leader, it should be noted that any leader, especially the invited leader, cannot select an orchestra musician because the musicians are fixed orchestra hosts and guest leaders and incidentally this issue is reversed and this orchestra leader is first as a guest leader in one concert will be present and by the musicians and then according to the satisfaction of the audience will be selected for example selection of leader by musicians of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is an example in this case.

Another issue that is worth mentioning is the examination of the orchestra in the whole world, in no orchestra in the world does the main body of the orchestra change since each city in each country has several orchestras of parliament, symphony philharmonic, ballet and opera One musician from one orchestra to another orchestra based on taste or better income changes location and does not lose his job.

Also, musicians retire after 30 years of being in the orchestra, so the orchestra directors publish a call for only one or more specific positions and vacant posts in the orchestra.
Expressing the issue that the Rudaki Foundation seeks to discover
talent; In the mind of the audience, reminiscent of talent show programs, but the symphony orchestra of the countries is not a place to discover talent, but every musician must go through the difficult way of studying this art and grow from the conservatory and music conservatory under the supervision of caring and professional teachers, continue his studies at the university and then, with a single exam in front of a jury made up of the musicians of the same orchestra, get into the orchestra and enter the professional world alongside other experienced musicians.
Pay attention to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which is one of the most professional orchestras in the world. In a country like Germany with a population of 84 million or America with a population of 340 million people, are there no other talents that can find their way to the mentioned orchestras?

They definitely have, but the directors know that the essence of an orchestra is that the musicians playing together and the experience of playing an orchestra and ensemble and harmony between the musicians, and the main body of the orchestra has a special value.

6- Since you mentioned receiving the musicians’ salaries during the Covid era, we must inform you that, as you know, the basis of musicians’ salaries is not based on the salaries of an expert in a profession and field; Rather, it is the lowest base salary and based on labor rights, and it should be noted that in 2014, the Rudaki Foundation did not pay the salaries and insurance of the musicians in full, and this year was not counted as part of their work records. What is the orchestra like in Germany? The interview of the main orchestra player and tympanist of one of the most professional orchestras in Germany (Gwandhaus Leipzig Orchestra) explains the correct method and the rule of the orchestra that is common in the world. You know that after 6 months of trying to improve the current situation, unfortunately, we faced the narrow-mindedness of the orchestra’s management, and contrary to the respected opinion of the Rudaki Foundation, none of them were looking for blackmail, but only sympathetic and concerned about the plight of the situation. We are the Tehran Symphony Orchestra.

This entry was written by HarmonyTalk
Tagged: Tehran Symphony Orchestra.

Transition to Enlightenment: Six Lectures on Mozart’s String Quartets (5)

The late 18th century was marked by profound societal changes across Europe, characterized by the rise of the bourgeoisie and the reshaping of musical patronage. Composers like Mozart responded to these shifts by adapting their compositional styles to align with the tastes and sensibilities of the emerging middle class. This article seeks to explore this phenomenon through an analysis of Mozart’s K. 499 quartet, also known as the “Hoffmeister” quartet, and his Prussian quartets, alongside the works of his contemporaries. By examining the evolution of the string quartet genre within the context of changing social structures and aesthetic preferences, this study aims to shed light on the dynamic relationship between music and society.

Nasser Masoudi: The Voice of Gilan and a Legacy of Iranian Music

In Iranian music, certain singers have become emblematic of their homelands through their distinctive voices. Historical figures such as Eghbal Sultan, who epitomized the grandeur of Azerbaijani music, and Taj Isfahani, who conveyed the authentic essence of Isfahan, serve as notable examples from the Qajar era. Nasser Masoudi occupies a similar position; his voice emerged as a symbol of Gilan while also achieving national acclaim. Before him, Master Ahmad Ashurpur represented Gilan’s musical landscape, but his extended residence outside Iran limited his continuous engagement in the music scene. In contrast, Masoudi’s consistent presence allowed him to introduce the voice of Gilan to audiences across Iran.

Latest posts

From Past Days…

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.

Gholam Reza Khan Minbashian: a pioneer in Iranian music (I)

Gholam Reza Khan Minbashian, a.k.a Salar-Mo’azez, was a pioneer in several domains in the history of the Iranian music. He is recognized as the first Iranian musician who was educated in classical music. He is also the first Iranian the score of whose works were published in Europe. He is the first Iranian to have launched courses on Western classical music and was also the first Iranian teacher of classical music. Moreover, he is the first founder of a string orchestra in Iran, the first author of the Iranian Radif which was available in oral form. Minbashian is also the first Iranian who studied music in Europe.

New Technique for Playing Classical Guitar (II)

When the author was working on the piece “Playing Love” by Ennio Morricone (from the legend of 1900), he realized a failure of the Lip Technique. Needing to play a chord in the 14th position of the guitar and in order to complete the harmony, it is necessary to play a harmonic note on the 7th or 5th position; it was not possible to touch the string to play this harmonic note, because the Lip Technique is used for getting the notes and not to touch the string and producing harmonic notes. Naturally, the only possible way to touch the string was to use the nose at the required position and playing the note with the right hand, and this was the best option the author found to how to play such harmonic notes, and where the Nose Technique was generated.

HarmonyTalk Journal’s Twentieth Anniversary Celebration

On the 10th of Khordad, 1403 (equivalent to May 30, 2024), the twentieth anniversary celebration of the online journal “HarmonyTalk” took place at the Ersbārān Cultural Center. The event garnered such interest from enthusiasts that the venue was completely filled.

Principles of Playing Violin (IV)

Pattern No.3/1 Left hand finger Placement: 3/1/1: Landing Fingers on one String: In preliminary stages of training, an apprentice should pay attention to the principle of keeping fingers while placing them on the fingerboard. Professional violinists pay less attention to this principle. Novice player’s complying with this principle, in preliminary stages of training, has several…
Read More »

“Pledge of Love”

The “Pledge of Love” is the first album in a series composed based on the tasnifs by the renowned Iranian tasnif-maker Mohammad Ali Amir Jahed and recorded by Sahba Kohan Ensemble with Ramin Bahiraie as signer.

From the Last Instrumentalist to the First Composer (II)

Rouhollah Khaleghi was the master of composing beautiful melodies. He was the premier of the course of history which was first established by Ali Naghi Vaziri and which improved the Iranian music from simply a gathering music to the classical music of the country. First efforts to compose independent and instrumental music can be also traced in Khaleghi’s works.

Parviz Meshkatian’s Heart Beat for People (II)

As such, the young Meshkatian reached the position of a great maestro in the Iranian music. Up until 1997, Meshkatian remained prolific and composed many pieces which were characterized by progressiveness while drawing on the music of the past Iranian musicians. In some of Meshkatian’s works, one can trace the influence of maestros such as Faramarz Payvar; however, this influence is so balanced that one can neither say that Meshkatian is a progressive and deconstructionist composer nor does he use cliché forms in his compositions.

Kayvan Mirhadi and O.R.P Qaurtet

Establishing O.R.P. Quartet is Kayvan Mirhadi’s latest activity as a guitarist, composer and conductor of Kamerata Orchestra. Besides working with this Quartet, Mirhadi is busy these days recording and mixing some of his own works as well as some pieces by 20th century composers. O.R.P Quartet performed a concert in Rasht, Gilan Province in late May 2016 and offered a master class.

The 4th Iranian Festival of Music Websites and Weblogs

The 4th Iranian Festival of Music Websites and Weblogs was held in Niavaran Cultural Center, in Tehran, Iran on Feb. 28th, 2015. The initiator of the festival was Sajjad Pourghanad, Iranian music writer, researcher, founder of the festival and Persian setar and tar player.