Masters of Persian Music

Masters of Persian Music
Original ensemble members (from left) K. Kalhor, M. R. Shajarian, H. Shajarian, and H. Alizâdeh
Background information
Origin	Iran
Genres	Persian classical music
Labels	Delawaz Records World Village
Associated acts	Aref Ensemble Hamavayan Ensemble The Silk Road Ensemble
Notable instruments
kemenche, tar, tonbak

Masters of Persian Music is a Persian classical music ensemble (or "supergroup") founded in 2000 by four internationally recognized ustāds (masters) of the genre: vocalist Mohammad-Reza Shajarian; composer-musicians Hossein Alizâdeh and Kayhan Kalhor; and M. R. Shajarian's son, multi-instrumentalist singer Homayoun Shajarian.

The ensemble formed with a view to touring Europe and North America (where Kayhan Kalhor has lived for much of his adult life). Although not all of the four had collaborated together previously, M. R. Shajarian had worked with Kahlor and Alizâdeh. In 1998 he sang for a studio album called Night, Silence, Desert, which Kahlor produced. He also sang the score that Alizâdeh composed for Ali Hatami's historical drama Del Shodegan (1992). Both albums were published on Delawaz Records, a label Shajarian started for the preservation of Persian classical singing.

Kalhor saw the group as cultural ambassadors. They adopted the name Masters of Persian Music for touring abroad. (In Iran, they perform and record under the own names.) The first European tour began in 2000, followed by a voyage to North America in early 2001. However, due to visa difficulties, Alizâdeh missed the first nine of the 18 performances in North America, and the other members had to play without him. Nevertheless, the success of the tour led to another in 2002 (organized by the World Music Institute), and a third in 2005. During this period, they released three live albums: Zemestan ast ("It's Winter") in 2001, Bi to be sar nemishavad ("Without You") in 2002, and the double album Faryad ("The Cry") in 2003.