Reza Shaista: Many artists get their credit from Fajr Music Festival

Fars news agency – music group: Fajr Music Festival started its activity in 1364 under the title “Festival of Revolutionary Hymns and Songs”. This national event continued to operate with the same name for four years, and in those years it was considered the only place where music people could perform programs and hold concerts. Four years after the “Festival of Revolutionary Anthems and Songs”, this event continued its activity under the title of “Fajr Music Festival”, which also coincided with the end of eight years of imposed war against Iran. This event was the beginning again for this festival. This festival is on the threshold of its 36th year and is managed by Mohammad Al-Yari Fomeni.

Undoubtedly, Fajr Music Festival is considered to be the most important musical event in the country, and the prestige of this festival has been achieved over the years with the presence of prominent figures in the music field and by presenting suitable works, an event that unfortunately has not been taken seriously in recent years.

In this regard, we had a conversation with “Reza Shaiste”, conductor, composer and singer of Iranian and orchestral music, who has participated in several periods of the Fajr Music Festival. He sings with Chekauk Orchestra below:

Reza Shaiste has a master’s degree in environmental engineering. He first learned the violin from Mr. Manouchehr Gudarzi, and then learned his lines from Master Asadullah Malek, as well as from Professors Hassan Etimadi, Ebrahim Lotfi, and Homayun Rahimian. Music theory, solfege, harmony, counterpoint, orchestration, and also gained grace in learning to conduct an orchestra from Nasir Heydarian and Manouchehr Sehbani. He is a continuous member (the highest level of membership) of the Musicians and Teachers Association of Iran Music House and also has a second degree in arts (equivalent to a master’s degree in music) from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

Saisheta formed Chekauk Grand Orchestra in 1977 and after registering it with the Ministry of Guidance and obtaining a qualitative grade of A, he went on to hold numerous performances in cultural centers, art centers, Vahdat Hall, Fajr festivals, and also in various radio and television networks. Chekauk Grand Orchestra has released four video albums related to the concerts of 87-88-90-93-94 after receiving a performance license from the Ministry of Guidance.

Mr. Shaisheta, you have attended the Fajr Music Festival several times and you have been on stage in this important music event. What is your opinion about the preparations for this year’s festival and how to publish the call and your view on the planning of this musical event?

Fajr Music Festival is one of the few important events in which a significant number of first-rate artists gather at a specific time and present their best works, and the country’s music also obtains a general result of the current conditions of this art in the form of this festival.. Besides, many artists get their credit from this Fajr music festival.

Shaishte said about the time of sending and publishing the call: Previously, the call for the festival was published at the beginning or at last in the middle of the summer season. Artists used to send their works to the festival secretariat, and until around November, it was determined which groups, singers and works were going to be present in the festival and perform the program. But unfortunately, this year we see that the call for the festival will be published in the last week of October and leading to the beginning of November, and nothing has been determined yet.

This composer of orchestral music further added: Unfortunately, this problem also applies to the announcement of the secretary of the festival, and usually the secretary was determined in the first quarter of the year, but this year, the final decision of the secretary of the Fajr Music Festival has not yet been made. Now, if we had several prestigious festivals at this level, there would be no need to worry and we would say that this is not the case, there is such and such a festival and the wheel of music and performances turns well, but unfortunately, when we only have this one prestigious festival, it is expected that it will be organized efficiently and At the most appropriate time, plans should be made, the secretary should be introduced, and the invitation to be published on time, but none of these have been done correctly and on time.

This Iranian music singer mentioned the issue of closing concerts and said: Unfortunately, in the current situation, the concerts have been closed, which is really a pity, and the situation could have progressed in such a way that the concerts would be held, because there is nothing like a concert and a music performance that inspires and creates vitality and vitality in the society.

He added: Unfortunately, in addition to the negative effects of closing concerts on the lack of vitality and morale in the society, the closing of this sector has seriously damaged the livelihood of many artists. I know many artists and musicians who are in a very difficult situation during these three months when concerts are closed, so many of these artists have to sell their instruments to support their families, which is really unfortunate. And he has not thought about it.

This music artist addressed the music office of the Ministry of Guidance as the guardian of this art and said: Our expectation from the music office is to establish a long-lost relationship with the music community and artists. We expect Agar Elhiary, the director general of the music office, to meet with different groups of music artists and listen to their pain and problems and really think about helping this vulnerable group. Now tell me, when was the last time you had a meeting with the artists?

Shaiste emphasized again that there is not much time left until the Fajr Music Festival is held and explained: If this Fajr festival is planned with a focus on solving the problems of artists and presenting good works and creating a favorable market for art products, it will open up the financial and economic affairs of the families of these artists, and it really has a high potential if it is planned well and correctly, even though it will be repeated again. I admit that we don’t have much time to organize this year’s festival and nothing has been done yet.

He said about the proposal of “Behzad Abdi” as the secretary of Fajr Music Festival: Mr. Abdi is a good option, although we have many good options, but I respect the choice of the music office. But the important issue is that we only have three months of November, December and December. When will the planning be done? When will the works be selected, and when will the schedule of performances and events of the festival be adjusted and announced, and I really don’t know how the organizers want to plan in this short time.

He said about licensing the album and songs of the music office: In my opinion, music affairs are moving slowly in this period, which also applies to the licensing of new works and productions in the field of music.

During this conversation, he explained about the ban on filming the concert as follows: Unfortunately, in addition to all the obstacles and problems and bureaucratic problems that exist in issuing a concert permit, if you have a student concert, you do not have the right to film, and they do not give permission to film in any way. If the students are very interested to have and watch the video of their concert and performance, but unfortunately this problem exists and no permission is given for filming. We encountered this problem in a concert we had with the students in Niavaran, and no matter what we did, we could not get permission to film the performance, which greatly discouraged and upset the students. Permission to film the concert of the students should be issued.

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