TEHRAN – The choirs of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and IRIB Orchestra performed Mozart’s Requiem during the funeral procession of maestro Mostafa-Kamal Purtorab that began at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on Friday. 

Hossein Alizadeh, Shahram Nazeri, Hushang Kamakr, Hafez Nazeri, Ali Torabi, Mohammad Sarir, Duvad Ganjei and Deputy Culture Minister for Artistic Affairs Ali Moradkhani were seen among the large number of musicians and officials attending the funeral.

Purtorab, who was famous for his publications on music and educational achievements, died of heart failure on Wednesday morning. He was 92.

Managing director of Iran’s House of Music Mohammad Sarir, who was first to speak at the ceremony, called Purtorab a real maestro who has trained a great number of students.

“His full knowledge of music along with his good memory were his distinguishing characteristics. He was a musician who made most of his efforts to boost the art of music,” Sarir said.

He added that Purtorab was always concerned about his students. “He was always proud of his students and I hope we can make the best use of his knowledge now that he is not among us any more.”

Vocalist Saharam Nazeri called the maestro one of his hopes in music that died.

“He was one of those individuals who possessed great wisdom. I was extremely fond of him and I gained a lot of positive energy when I used to meet him,” he added.

The maestro was buried in the artists’ section of the Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery.

“A Method to Perform Time Heterogeneous Subdivisions of Right and Left Hands on Piano” published several months ago and “Theory of Music” are among Purtorab’s noteworthy credits.

Photo: Razmik Ohanian conducts a choir composed of singers from the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and IRIB Orchestra performing Mozart’s Requiem at the beginning of the funeral of maestro Mostafa-Kamal Purtorab at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on June 24, 2016. (IRNA/Marzieh Soleimani)

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