Inaugural Payvar Festival Honors Santur Masters, Rising Talent

TEHRAN -- The inaugural Faramarz Payvar Santur Festival drew Tehran’s music community to the Arasbaran Cultural Center, closing with a ceremony that celebrated both Iran’s classical music heritage and the next generation of santur virtuosos.

The evening opened with Shab-e Neyshabur, a Payvar composition performed by vocalist Mojtaba Asgari alongside the Khaleqi Orchestra under the baton of conductor Muhammadreza Azizi. Santur soloist Pouya Muhammadi delivered a commanding performance, setting a tone of both reverence and technical precision.
The festival paid tribute to the giants of Iranian music, with clips honoring Abolhassan Saba and Faramarz Payvar. Esteemed musicians including Hussein Alizadeh, Ahmad Pejman, Keyhan Kalhor, Loris Tjeknavorian, Hamidreza Nourbakhsh, and Mina Eftekhari reflected on the artistic vision and enduring influence of these masters.
Festival director Muhammadreza Azizi framed the event as more than a competition: “The first edition of the National Faramarz Payvar Santur Prize was designed to encourage a conscious revisiting of the foundations laid by Saba and systematized by Payvar. Santur playing in Iran must evolve from mere individual inspiration to structured, disciplined, and academically informed practice.” 
Judging was based on technical skill, phrasing, rhythm control, and formal understanding, emphasizing dialogue on contemporary standards over simply awarding prizes.
A scholarly highlight came from Hussein Maysami of Tehran University, who praised Azizi’s research on Payvar’s pedagogical approach. Maysami noted that Payvar’s teaching, analyzed through behavioral frameworks, offered a structured, disciplined roadmap for music education in Iran, separating practical skill from historical theory while highlighting lesser-studied aspects of repertoire design and execution.
One of the evening’s most anticipated moments came from tar maestro Hussein Alizadeh, who reflected on his mentors, including Payvar and Saba. Alizadeh spoke eloquently about the inseparability of musical mastery, creativity, and human integrity. 
He highlighted the dangers of commercialization and the “mafia-like” influence over music production, stressing that the preservation of classical music requires both social respect and artistic rigor.
A special award was presented to veteran artist Sousan Aslani (Dehlavi), recognizing her lifetime contribution to Iranian music.
The festival also celebrated young talent, naming winners across age groups and categories. Highlights included Kasra Muhammadi, a standout in Group A, and Tara Ghahremani, who took top honors in Group B and the improvisation section. The ceremony closed amid applause, a reminder that Iranian classical music—anchored in tradition yet alive with innovation—continues to thrive through the dedication of both masters and rising stars.