TEHRAN – National Orchestra’s longtime conductor Farhad Fakhreddini took helm of the orchestra once again, performing its first concert at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Wednesday after a six-year hiatus.

A large number of artists and officials including Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif and Iran’s Management and Planning Organization Director Mohammad- Baqer Nobakht attended the performance on the first night, Persian media reported.

Vocalists Salar Aqili and Mohammad Motamedi along with tar and setar virtuoso Keivan Saket accompanied the orchestra in performing venerable Iranians songs including “O Iran”, Iran’s former national anthem by composer Ruhollah Khaleqi (1901-1960).

Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani, Director of the Music Office of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Piruz Arjmand, and musicians Kambiz Roshanravan, Mohammad Sarir and Davud Ganjei were also among the special guests of the gala.

The orchestra also gave performances for two additional nights on June 11 and 12.

“The return of the National Orchestra was my wish, which now has been fulfilled,” conductor Fakhreddini, who also is also the founder of the orchestra, said during a press conference last month.

Fakhreddini, 79, resigned on July 13, 2009 after the Music Office, under the pressure from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance, decided to hand over management of the orchestra to the Rudaki Foundation.

In December 2010, Bardia Kiaras, a 31-year-old musician, succeeded Fakhreddini who had founded the orchestra in 1998. However, it was disbanded after several poor performances.

After the victory of Hassan Rouhani in the 2013 presidential election, Fakhreddini was assigned to reestablish the orchestra.

Photo: Maestro Farhad Fakhreddini conducts the National Orchestra during a concert at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on June 10, 2015. Vocalist Mohammad Motamedi (L) accompanies the orchestra at the performance. (IRNA/Marzieh Musavi)

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