TEHRAN- The closing ceremony of the 41st Fajr International Music Festival was held at Vahdat Hall on Saturday evening, bringing the six-day event to an end with tributes to veteran artists and the presentation of the prestigious Barbad Awards.

A number of cultural officials and artists attended the ceremony, including Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi, Head of the Cinema Organization Raed Faridzadeh, festival secretary Arash Amini, and several prominent musicians and cultural figures, IRNA reported.

During the event, an artificial intelligence singer named “Avin” was unveiled. The AI project was conceived and managed by Fatemeh Agahi. The virtual singer performed pieces themed around Iran alongside a pop music ensemble.

Speaking at the ceremony, Salehi referred to the reduction of the festival’s duration from its initially planned month-long schedule to six days.

“This year’s Fajr Music Festival had been designed as a month-long program featuring various domestic and international artists,” he said. “However, developments in mid-January necessitated a revision of those plans. Social conditions required reconsideration.”

He added that organizers opted for a dignified minimum to ensure continuity. “The six-day program was designed to preserve the festival’s continuity while remaining in harmony with social realities. We hope to compensate for the gap created this year through better preparation and planning in the coming months, particularly in next year’s edition.”

Salehi also commented on the unveiling of the AI singer “Avin.” 

“Emerging technologies, especially artificial intelligence, have entered various spheres of life. Naturally, they can represent both threats and opportunities,” he noted.

“Human beings are irreplaceable. The key issue is how we can employ new technologies, particularly AI, in the service of humanity. What we witnessed today was merely an experience—one that should continue so that its opportunities become clearer while potential threats are properly managed.”

A highlight of the evening was the tribute to four veteran masters of regional music, who were awarded commemorative plaques by the minister and attending officials.

The honorees included Shamsi Behrouz, a renowned Baluchi vocalist known as Shamshouk; Ashour Goldi Barzin (Garkazi), a veteran Turkmen dutar player and singer from Golestan province; Shafi Khaledi Kimnei, a distinguished Kurdish musician; and Bahman Eskini, a veteran vocalist from Lorestan. 

Winners of the Barbad Awards—the festival’s competitive section prize—were also introduced and honored across various categories.

In the pop music section, Meysam Khodayari won Best Composer, while Mohammad Hossein Jafari received Best Arranger Award. Mahmoud Salehi was named Best Singer in this section.

In the fusion music category, Ali Ahmadian won Best Composer and Best Singer, while Afshar Namvar and Ali Amjadi jointly received Best Arranger Award. 

In the traditional music section, Nima Zahedi was named Best Composer. Omidreza Hedayati won Best Instrumentalist for his santur performance. Ali Asghar Esmaeili and Hamidreza Esmaeili were jointly named Best Singers.

The Barbad Award has been presented to selected winners of the festival’s competitive section since the 31st edition. After being removed during the 34th and 35th editions, it returned in the 36th edition in 2020. The number of award categories has expanded from 16 in seven fields to 21 categories since 2023.

The 41st Fajr Music Festival was held across six sections: Iranian music, choral ensembles, children and youth performances, fusion and pop genres, classical music, and the music of Iran’s ethnic groups and regions.

Despite organizational adjustments, this year’s edition reaffirmed the festival’s role as a key platform for showcasing the richness and diversity of Iran’s musical heritage while cautiously engaging with new technological frontiers.

SAB/