TEHRAN – The world-renowned kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor was honored for his lifetime achievements at the 4th Musicema Awards in Tehran on Saturday.

The annual gala is organized by Musiqi-e Ma, an Iranian website for music news, to honor Iran’s best music productions of the year.

Kalhor received the award from his fellow musicians Mohammadreza Darvishi, Ahmad Pejman and Parvin Bahmani at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall.

During his acceptance speech, Kalhor expressed his thanks to all his colleagues in Iran and said he is happy to have received the award.

Afterwards, winners in various categories were honored amidst loud applause by the audience. 

The award for best traditional album went to “The Way of Love”, which the vocalist icon of Iranian traditional music, Mohammadreza Shajarian, had recorded with a number of legendary musicians in the Aref ensemble in 1989.

The album was unveiled during a special ceremony in Tehran in September 2016, 27 years after being recorded. 

Sohrab Purnazeri received the award for best composer in the traditional music category for the album “Subdued”. 

“Harmless Ruler” by singer Mohsen Chavoshi won the award for best pop album while the award for best composer of a pop album went to Alireza Afkari for albums “Thirties” and “Unrepeatable Dream”.

“Endless Ending” by the rock fusion band Pallet, as well as “Damahi” by Damahi Band both won the awards for best fusion album. 

The award for best pop-rock album was presented to “Manshour” (charter) by singer Kaveh Yaghmai. 

The award for best songwriter went to Afshin Yadollahi, who died in a car crash a few days before Noruz on March 15 at the age of 48.

Maestro Loris Tjeknavorian was also honored with a lifetime achievement award. 

Photo: Kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor speaks after accepting a lifetime achievement award at the 4th Musicema Awards at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall on December 16, 2017. Parvin Bahmani (2nd L) and Ahmad Pejman are also seen in the photo. (Mehr/Masud Saki)

RM/MMS/YAW