Kazem Davoudian - Asmar

Kazem Davoudian was born in Mashhad in 1955. He received his B.A in music from the college of Arts at the Tehran University in 1980. During this years as a student he studied Persian music theory and Radeef -Navazi under the supervision of such renowned masters as M.Kiani, M. R. Lotfi, and D. Safvat . His performance skills were enrichedby the notable teachers Esmaeel Tehrani (Santur) and Bahman Rajabi (Tonbak). He also studied Western Classical Music and Composition with Kambiz Roshan-Ravan, specializing in cello. After his graduation, Davoudian performed with various musical ensembles while he served as an instructor of santur to intermediate and advanced students a the Center for Preservation and Advancement of Iranian Music. During the years 1983-89 he dedicated much of his time to composing music.He was commissioned to write a number of works for the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Tehran under of the Iranian National Radio and Television. These include: The Mystery of the Life, Autumn, and Var-Saghi; to name a few. Among his other works are Duets for two Santurs, Tar and Santur, as well as the soundtrack for the film 'Grand Cinema '. Davoudian migrated to the U.S. in 1990. Hw has continued contributing to the growth the development of Traditional Persian Music through performing, composing, teaching, as well as making santurs. Most recently he performed with Maestro M. R. Lotfi in Philadelphia. Prior to that he toured the U.S. and Canada with Maestro H . Alizadeh in the National Instruments Ensemble as well as the Dastan Ensemble in 1991 and 92 respectively. Drawing upon his talent as a cellist and composer of western music and western influences in his most recent composition for Cello and Santur.He has also composed a symphony orchestra piece on a poem by 'Nima Youshij' for Maestro Mohammad-Reza Shajarian. About titles : Talaash (= Endeavor) Talaash is a piece of descriptive music that illustrates the lives of honorable and noble people who - in the turbulent waves of a world of dominant suppression and injustice - endeavor to accomplish their share of being. The introductory movements of this piece of music with sudden, strong strokes, accompanied with it's vigorous, rebellious and ambiguous tone, all and all are indicative of an imminent event: as the music reaches it's climax, groups of cheerful, light-hearted and enthusiastic people gather from every corner - symbolically showing their unity and solidarity. Then a joyful, familiar part is played, and men and women, children and youngsters begin dancing and rejoicing with it. In the meantime, a horn is heard from a distance, which announces the imminence of oppression and injustice. At this time, the music has a tragic, epical, and sad tone. Dancers scatter win terror, fear, panic, and grief. Powerful, interrupted strokes follow shortly to accompany people's struggle against oppression. The next piece of music signifies the people's longing while they reunite with solidarity and determination to eradicate oppression and injustice. They gather again from all corners, and a fist is raised to demonstrate hatred towards injustice. People swipe out the dominating darkness and impurity, and bring back the light of justice and peace. Talaash was performed and recorded by Tehran Symphonic Orchestra in 1987. Sound recording by Mr. Goshtasb Ariana, renowned Iranian sound recorder. Kayer (=collaboration) Kayer is an arrangement of a Mazandarani folkloric song. In Mazandarani dialect, Kayer means collaboration and co-working, and this piece illustrates a field scene where men and women sing while they are weeding the sown field together. When a group of people in a village goes for weeding, others give them a helping hand for work. They do the work with all unity, friendship and joy while singing folkloric songs in choir. Kayer was composed for string instruments, flute, oboe as well as Dohol and Santur. It was arranged for I.R.I.B. Choral Symphony Orchestra, Tehran, in 1994, and was performed and recorded in the same year. Sound recording by Goshtasb Ariana. A solo-vocalist and a choral of four singers perform the song. The melody and the poem were written by Mr. Dana Kabiri. Shoorydeh (=Rebellious) Shoorydeh is an example of passion and love for life. It depicts the sufferings that turn man into rebellion. It is the loudest cry of the man in protest against injustice and lack of freedom. The world of existence has been illustrated in the last part of this piece: a man's voice is heard - which is symbolic of the cries of millions of suffering people- and this voice echoes around the world: in all societies, cities, on mountain peaks, and in the woods. Shoorydeh was composed and performed by the Symphonic Orchestra comprising string instruments and Santur in 1995. Vocalist: Mr. Sediq Tarif Performance and sound recording: Mr. Goshtasb Araiana, I.R.I.B. (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting/Iranian Radio and Television Broadcasting) Studio, Tehran . Asmar Asmar is taken from a Kermanshahi folkloric music named Asmar-Asmar. This piece was arranged for an orchestra of string and percussion instruments as well as oboe and flute, and was performed and recorded in I.R.I.B. studio in 1996. Overview of his works For symphonic orchestra and choir: Rebirth, 1985 The resurrection of the flowers, 1985 A piece in Shur and Dashti, along with traditional instruments, 1986 'Varsaaghi', based on a Turkman folk melody, 1986 'Raaz-e Hayaat', commissioned by the Iranian Department of Agriculture, 1987 Endeavor, 1988 Requiem, 1988 Epic, 1996 For strings, woodwind, and percussion: Fugue for string quartet, 1983 Canon for violin and cello, 1983 Autumn, for strings, 1986 Duet for tar and santur, based on the folk melody 'juni juni', 1984 Santur duo in Shur 'Kaayer', with vocals, based on a folk melody from Mazandaraan, 1994 'Shurideh', in Dashti, 1995 'Asmar', based on a folk melody from Kermaanshah, 1995 'Faraaz', 1997 'Payvand', quintet for piano, violin, flute, guitar, and cello, 1997 An arrangement of an old song 'cheshm-e mast', with vocals by Mohammad Reza Shajarian (to be published), 1998 Nima, based on a poem by Iranian modernist poet Nima Yushij, with vocals by Mohammad Reza Shajarian (to be published), 1998 A piece in Dashti, with vocals by Mohammad Reza Shajarian (to be published), 1998 Earthquake, dedicated to the victims of the earthquake in Northern Iran, 1990 Duo for Tombak (percussion), 1993 Film music: Grand Cinema, a film by Hassan Hedayat, 1988 Think of the Gentle Mountains, a documentary by Khosrow Sinai, 1995 Music for children: The dog and the bone, 1984 Water and moonlight, 1984 Popular music for the youth, 1984 For traditional Iranian ensemble: Chaharmezrab, in Bidaad, 1998 A polyphonic piece in Dashti, 1898 'Serr-e del', with vocals, in Chahaargaah, 1998.

1) Talaash
2) Faryaad
3) Kayer
4) Marsyeh
5) Shorydeh
6) Asmar
7) Varsaghi
8) Hamaseh
9) Grand Cinema
10) Banoo
11) Tondbaad