Seyed Amrollah Shahebrahimi

Seyed Amrollah Shahebrahimi (1923–2003) is one of the most outstanding figures in the history of the tanbur and one of the principal revivers of this ancient instrument in modern times. He was born in Sahneh county into a family devoted to music and spirituality. His father, Seyed Lotfollah Shahebrahimi, was his first teacher and gave him a deep familiarity with the ancient maqams of the tanbur, its traditional melodic pieces, from early childhood.

Shahebrahimi went on to study with eminent masters of maqam music and Iranian music, and besides the tanbur he also became acquainted with the tar and setar (long-necked lutes) and with the fundamentals of the radif, the core repertoire of Iran’s classical music. This breadth of knowledge made his playing structured and technically assured, yet faithful to the ancient authentic traditions.

The 1970s were the turning point of his life. At a time when the tanbur was not yet a recognised instrument in official music circles, Shahebrahimi worked tirelessly to teach it and make it known once more. He set up the first formal tanbur classes in Sahneh and then, by forming the first ensembles of tanbur players, he brought the instrument out of its limited ritual setting and onto concert stages and festivals. These efforts played an important part in restoring the tanbur to its rightful place in Iranian music.

His many students – among them a number of the most renowned players of the next generation – each made a great contribution to spreading and introducing the tanbur, and turned the Shahebrahimi school into one of the most deeply rooted currents in maqam music today.

The only official recording he left behind, the album Sama (named after the Sufi ritual of listening and dance), contains a collection of authentic tanbur maqams and solos – works that are now considered among the reliable sources for understanding his playing style and his musical world.

Alongside his dazzling skill, Shahebrahimi was known for his humility, his kindness and his scholarly precision in teaching. He always upheld the authenticity of the maqams and urged his students to respect the roots precisely and to avoid distortion.

Seyed Amrollah Shahebrahimi passed away in 2003 in his birthplace; yet the fruit of his life – the revival of the tanbur, the founding of modern teaching for the instrument and the training of a new generation of artists – has kept his name alive and enduring.