Sohrab Pournazeri
Encyclopedia
Sohrab Pournazeri is an Iran
ian musician, virtuoso
and composer born in 1982 in Kermanshah
. He plays Kamancheh
and tanbour.
ian parents and had a musical upbringing. His father, Keykhosro Pournazeri was a well-known musician who played tanbour and tar
. Keykhosro Pournazeri introduced was the founder of the first ensemble of tanbour, he introduced this sacred instrument of Ahl-e Haqq
to the urban musical culture of Iran. His ensemble also introduced several musicians that later became established artists of Persian music.
At a very young age, Sohrab began studying tanbour and daf
, and later tar
and setar
before finding his true calling by taking up kamancheh
. Sohrab's first choice was the folk instrument of tanbour due to his orientation, but he added kamancheh
to improve his career as Iranian classical musician. He began performing before audiences with Shams Ensemble
at age of fifteen.
Sohrab Purnazeri learned tanbour from his father, Keykhosro Pournazeri, kamancheh
from Ardeshir Kamkar
, vocalization from Hamid Reza Noorbakhsh
. He received his bachelor's degree
in music from the Faculty of the Arts, Sooreh University in Tehran in 2001.
which was established in 1980 and is focused on Persian classical music as well as musical tradition of Sufi and Ahl-e Haqq
culture. Pournazeri's primary performance instruments are kamancheh
and tanbour.
as well as folk and sacred musical culture of Ahl-e Haqq
in Iranian Western province of Kermanshah
. He is an incredible virtuoso soloist who not only cheers audiences but also enjoys the beauty of music during live performances.
2010: Omar Khayyám
project with Alireza Ghorbani
, Dorsaf Hamdani and Ali Ghamsari
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian musician, virtuoso
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
and composer born in 1982 in Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
. He plays Kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
and tanbour.
Life
Sohrab Pournazeri was born in Kermanshah on October 7, 1982, to IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian parents and had a musical upbringing. His father, Keykhosro Pournazeri was a well-known musician who played tanbour and tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
. Keykhosro Pournazeri introduced was the founder of the first ensemble of tanbour, he introduced this sacred instrument of Ahl-e Haqq
Ahl-e Haqq
The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân , are members of a religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. The total number of members is estimated at around 1,000,000, primarily found in western Iran and Iraq, mostly ethnic Kurds and Laks, though there are also smaller groups of Luri,...
to the urban musical culture of Iran. His ensemble also introduced several musicians that later became established artists of Persian music.
At a very young age, Sohrab began studying tanbour and daf
Daf
A daf is a frame drum used as a musical instrument in popular and classical music. The term daf is used in Iran / Kurdistan for a large drum that has a series of four interlinked rings in the frame. Daf is mostly used in Middle East, Iran, Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and ...
, and later tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
and setar
Setar
SETAR N.V., is the privatised full telecommunications service provider for the island of Aruba. The services provided by SETAR include: telephone, internet and GSM-related wireless services. SETAR also owns Tele Aruba....
before finding his true calling by taking up kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
. Sohrab's first choice was the folk instrument of tanbour due to his orientation, but he added kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
to improve his career as Iranian classical musician. He began performing before audiences with Shams Ensemble
Shams ensemble
The Shams Ensemble is a musical group that performs traditional Sufi and classical Iranian music with the tanboor, Daf , Ney and various other percussion instruments...
at age of fifteen.
Sohrab Purnazeri learned tanbour from his father, Keykhosro Pournazeri, kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
from Ardeshir Kamkar
Ardeshir Kamkar
Ardeshir Kamkar is a Kurdish musician from Iran.He started his music training under the supervision of his father. He came to Tehran in 1980 and continued studying traditional arrangements under Mohammad Reza Lotfi and his brother Pashang...
, vocalization from Hamid Reza Noorbakhsh
Hamid Reza Noorbakhsh
Hamid Reza Noorbakhsh is a Persian classical vocalist and musician.He studied Iranian classical music under the supervision of Mohammad Reza Shajarian and has performed with several music ensembles, including the Shams Ensemble and the Aref Ensemble, as well as with the Ukraine Philharmonic...
. He received his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in music from the Faculty of the Arts, Sooreh University in Tehran in 2001.
Career
Souhrab Pournazeri currently plays with Shams EnsembleShams ensemble
The Shams Ensemble is a musical group that performs traditional Sufi and classical Iranian music with the tanboor, Daf , Ney and various other percussion instruments...
which was established in 1980 and is focused on Persian classical music as well as musical tradition of Sufi and Ahl-e Haqq
Ahl-e Haqq
The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân , are members of a religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. The total number of members is estimated at around 1,000,000, primarily found in western Iran and Iraq, mostly ethnic Kurds and Laks, though there are also smaller groups of Luri,...
culture. Pournazeri's primary performance instruments are kamancheh
Kamancheh
The kamānche or kamāncha is a Persian bowed string instrument related to the bowed rebab, the historical ancestor of the kamancheh and also to the bowed lira of the Byzantine Empire, ancestor of the European violin family. The strings are played with a variable-tension bow: the word "kamancheh"...
and tanbour.
Playing style
Sohrab Pournazeri's style is rooted in both Persian classical musicMusic of Iran
The music of Iran has thousands of years of history, as seen in the archeological documents of Elam, one of the earliest world cultures,which was located in southwestern Iran...
as well as folk and sacred musical culture of Ahl-e Haqq
Ahl-e Haqq
The Ahl-e Haqq or Yârsân , are members of a religion founded by Sultan Sahak in the late 14th century in western Iran. The total number of members is estimated at around 1,000,000, primarily found in western Iran and Iraq, mostly ethnic Kurds and Laks, though there are also smaller groups of Luri,...
in Iranian Western province of Kermanshah
Kermanshah
Kermanshah is a city in and the capital of Kermanshah Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 784,602, in 198,117 families.The overwhelming majority of Kermanshahi people are Shi'a Muslims...
. He is an incredible virtuoso soloist who not only cheers audiences but also enjoys the beauty of music during live performances.
Live performances
2011: USA tour with Shams EnsembleShams ensemble
The Shams Ensemble is a musical group that performs traditional Sufi and classical Iranian music with the tanboor, Daf , Ney and various other percussion instruments...
2010: Omar Khayyám
Omar Khayyám
Omar Khayyám was aPersian polymath: philosopher, mathematician, astronomer and poet. He also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy, music, climatology and theology....
project with Alireza Ghorbani
Alireza Ghorbani
ALIREZA GHORBANI was born in 1972 in Tehran, Iran. He began his career by reciting the Holy book of Quran. Since he was very interested in old Iranian traditional music, he started learning it eagerly. In 1984, he was fascinated by compilation of poetry and music and the insight of Iranian Music...
, Dorsaf Hamdani and Ali Ghamsari