Reza Aliabadi

Reza Aliabadi, a player, composer, researcher and soloist of traditional Iranian music, was born on 29 September 1987 in Tehran. He became acquainted with maqam music (built on maqams, the traditional melodic pieces of the tanbur repertoire) and the tanbur in early childhood: his father’s friendship with great masters such as the late Seyed Mansour Yari Shahebrahimi, Darvish Javanmir Manhuei Gurjuei and Seyed Ahmad Hosseini paved the way for his familiarity with the authentic maqams and melodies of the tanbur. Reza Aliabadi’s intense love of music led him to begin learning the tanbur at the age of seven. In his interviews he names Master Seyed Ahmad Hosseini (the maqams of Sahneh) and Darvish Javanmir Manhuei Gurjuei (the maqams of Guran) as the most influential teachers of his artistic life.

After learning the maqam repertoire, Aliabadi pursued classical Persian music academically in order to deepen his knowledge, and studied with Master Majid Latifi Seresht. After earning a bachelor’s degree in architecture, his strong interest in music research led him to enter the Faculty of Music of the University of Culture and Art, where he received a bachelor’s degree in the tar (a long-necked Persian lute). During this period great masters such as the late Mohammad Reza Lotfi and Amir Sharifi were his mentors.

Reza Aliabadi’s research led him on extensive journeys to get to know the different schools of the tanbur. He trained with renowned masters such as Keykhosrow Pournazeri, Seyed Khalil Alinejad, Taher Yarveysi and Seyed Khayal and benefited from their knowledge and experience.

The results of his research and teaching have been published in written works such as:

• Nazm ta Maqam (“From Order to Maqam”)

• Maqam-haye Bastani-ye Tanbur (“The Ancient Maqams of the Tanbur”)

• Chehel Tamrin Baraye Angosht-gozari (“Forty Fingering Exercises”)

These have been warmly received by the music community. Reza Aliabadi is the first player to have taken G as the open-string note of the tanbur in his works.

Alongside his research and writing, a number of his artistic works have been released, including:

• the album Tanideh dar Seda (“Woven into Sound”)

• the album Nazm-haye Tanbur (“Orders of the Tanbur”)

• the album Form-haye Bi-payan (“Endless Forms”)

In 2009 Reza Aliabadi founded the Jami Ensemble and, as its composer and director, gave numerous concerts at Roudaki Hall, Milad Tower, Saadabad Palace, the Niavaran Cultural Center and other prestigious venues.

Teaching music has always been one of his main concerns: he has taught the tanbur for more than 17 years and has given various courses at universities and respected institutions, including Tarbiat Modares University. The Aliabadi Academy is now officially active, and more than 80 students are learning traditional Iranian instruments there.

Reza Aliabadi is an artist who, by combining research, performance and teaching, has made an important contribution to the preservation and promotion of tanbur music and of Iran’s mystical music, and who constantly strives for the creation of new and lasting works in this time-honoured art.