Tehran Symphony Orchestra Performs “In the Italian Style”

From works by Schubert and Khachaturian to Nasir Heidarian’s tribute to veteran Iranian musicians

The Tehran Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Nasir Heidarian, performed its concert “In the Italian Style” at Vahdat Hall on Tuesday evening, October 20, presenting works by Franz Schubert and Aram Khachaturian. The performance was warmly received by the audience and followed by repeated rounds of applause.

Roudaki Foundation: the Tehran Symphony Orchestra performed three works from the world of classical music as part of the programme. The quality of the performances, the coordination among the musicians, and Heidarian’s conducting drew the audience’s attention and prompted applause from those attending the concert at Vahdat Hall.

The concert opened with Franz Schubert’s Overture in D Major in the Italian Style. This was followed by Aram Khachaturian’s Rhapsody-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, featuring a solo performance by Majid Esmaeili.

Nasir Heidarian: The Survival of Iranian Music Owes Much to the Perseverance of Veteran Musicians

Following the second piece, Nasir Heidarian spoke about the role of veteran musicians in preserving and sustaining Iranian music. He paid tribute to the masters and instrumentalists who continued their artistic activities despite the difficulties of the years following the Islamic Revolution and devoted themselves to training subsequent generations of musicians.

Emphasising the contribution of these veteran musicians to the development of the country’s musical capabilities, the conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra said that a significant part of the expansion of orchestras and the increase in the number of instrumentalists and musicians in Iran was the result of the efforts of approximately 20 people who remained active during that period and continued teaching music.

He recalled that these masters did not abandon music education even when orchestras and conservatories were closed. Through their passion and commitment, they laid the groundwork for training subsequent generations of musicians.

Heidarian also acknowledged Majid Esmaeili, the cello soloist at the concert, praising his skill and his continued artistic activity at the age of 65. He expressed hope that the names and contributions of these veteran musicians would remain in the public memory for as long as Iran and its musical heritage endure.

Following his performance, Majid Esmaeili also expressed his pleasure at taking part in the programme, describing the opportunity to work with Nasir Heidarian as a valuable honour and thanking the conductor for agreeing to collaborate with him.

Concert Concludes with Schubert’s Symphony No. 2 and Audience Applause

The Tehran Symphony Orchestra continued with Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 2 in B-flat Major. The work brought the concert “In the Italian Style” to a close, with the musicians delivering a cohesive performance that was warmly received by the audience at Vahdat Hall.

The concert was attended by a number of artists, cultural officials and foreign diplomats, including Klara Bokachava, Mohammadreza Tafazoli, Mani Jafarzadeh, Paniz Feryousefi, Babak Khezraei and Omid Mehrabi.

Those also in attendance included Friedrich Stift, Ambassador of Austria; Grigor Hakobyan, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia; Jin Pyo Kim, Ambassador of South Korea; Christian Atzen, Ambassador of Denmark; Vítězslav Grepl, Ambassador of the Czech Republic; Mohammad Elhayari Fumani, Managing Director of the Roudaki Foundation; Ahmad-Hossein Fataei, Executive Adviser to the Deputy Minister for Artistic Affairs; and Amirabbas Setayeshgar, Deputy Director for Artistic Creation at the Roudaki Foundation.

The concert “In the Italian Style” was held as part of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra’s ongoing programme and the Roudaki Foundation’s artistic activities, bringing together works by distinguished classical composers and music enthusiasts at Vahdat Hall.