Mohammad Reza Shajarian, one of the most important performers of Persian classical music, passed away today, October 8, 2020 in Tehran, Iran. Shajarian’s son, acclaimed vocalist and tombak player, Homayoun Shajarian, disclosed the news in an announcement on Instagram, stating he “flew to meet his beloved“.

Mohammad Reza Shajarian was a living legend In Persian classical music, with one of the most distinguishable voices in Iran. His vocal style was enjoyable, soulful, and energetic. Shajarian was regarded as a national treasure and was a key source of inspiration for musicians and music lovers. His singing was technically faultless, powerful, and emotional. In the music of Iran, traditional singing is the most demanding art to master, but Shajarian achieved this at a very early age.

Born in 1940 in the city of Mash’had in northeastern Iran, Mohammad Reza Shajarian started singing spiritual songs at the age five under the supervision of his father. Only a few years later his gifted talent was to be renowned throughout the town of Mash’had. His effort at first was on the local folk music of his native province, Khorasan (East Iran). At the age of 12, Mohammad Reza Shajaria was familiarizing himself with the traditional song repertoire, studying the Radif, but he also became interested in traditional music from Khorasan and the other regions of Iran.

Shajarian became a schoolteacher and had liberty to study all forms of traditional music and gradually relinquished religious singing. On his arrival in Teheran, Shajarian met Ahmad Ebadi, the great setar maestro. He studied under some of the most distinguished artists such as Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli, Ghamar-ol Molouk Vaziri, Eghbal-Soltan Azar, Taaj Esfahani Noor-Ali Khan Boroomand and Taher Zadeh Esfahani.