Shaahin Mohajeri Wins UnTwelve Composition Competition

UnTwelve Non-profit Organization announced the results of its 2014/2015 composition competition on January 28, 2015. Shaahin Mohajeri, an Iranian Tonbak player, microtonalist, acoustician and composer, was awarded the second prize for his piece “Castle of Babak.”

Shaahin Mohajeri is of the belief that 96-EDO (96 equal divisions of octave) is a good system for intervallic structure of Persian music with more accurate estimation than Ali naqi Vaziri’s 24-EDO system. He is currently working on a microtonal notation system based on 96-EDO and also on a model for tuning systems classification based on divisions of octavic or non-octavic musical scales and systems.
Mohajeri is engaged with a new rhythmic system called “Microrhythm” which is based on time intervals which are defined in rhythmic systems.
Some of his tuning models and scales are being referred in Scala, powerful software for experimentation with musical tunings. Mohajeri’s pieces are composed in different modal, tonal and atonal microtonal spaces and show poly-microtonality as a way to relate different microtonal systems to each other.
He began studying tonbak under supervision of Nasser Farhangfar, master of tonbak, but his studies of tonbak sounding and fingering, tonbak musical analysis and his arrhythmic musical ideas have led him to a different world of music, tonbak and tonbak playing.
He composes music for tonbak solo and ensemble with different microtonal tunings, ranging from traditional to his personal style.
He is working on a new musical notation system for tonbak based on acoustical parameters and a system of fingering classification for this drum.
In 23 October 2006, Shaahin Mohajeri lectured on tonbak history, organology, acoustics and tunable tonbak of Dr. Hossein Omoumi in the Tehran Conservatory of Music.

Prizes and Nominations
2012
– The 3rd prize, UnTwelve 3nd Annual Microtonal Composition, for Three Micromusics for an Ant
– The 2nd prize, Second Festival of Music-based Websites and Weblogs for “Scales Coding” (article)

2011
– Finalist, UnTwelve 2nd Annual Microtonal Composition Competitions for the Battle of Ahuramazda and Ahriman
– Appreciation, First Festival of Music-based Websites and Weblogs for “Time Intervals” (article)

2010
– Winner, AEH and Muto Ethno2 Microtonal Demos Competition

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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.

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From Past Days…

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Principles of Violin Playing (IX)

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Henry Cowell: “Persian Set”

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Henry Cowell, one of the most innovative American composers of the 20th century, was born in 1897. Cowell and his wife visited Iran in 1956 and stayed there the whole winter, upon the invitation by the Iranian Royal Family, when he composed his album “Persian Set” in four movements for chamber orchestra. His composition is expressive of the characteristic quality of the Persian or the Iranian music.

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