Shahram Nazeri

Born in a Kurdish family, he was the first vocalist to set Rumi's poetry to Persian music, thus establishing a tradition of Sufi music within both Persian classical music and Kurdish music and his music was instrumental in introducing Western musical audiences to both Sufism and to the poetry of Rumi. The New York Times has dubbed him the "Persian Nightingale" and The Christian Science Monitor has called him "Iran's Pavarotti". Most recently he was awarded with Chevalier des Arts et Lettres medal from the government of France for his lifetime achievements in Iranian traditional music. Also Asia Society has awarded him by Lifetime Cultural Heritage Award.

Nazeri has released over forty recordings to date; His "The One Hundred Leaf Flower" (Gol'eh Sad Barg) recording has held the record for the highest selling album of Persian classical music and Sufi music in history. His musical talents were first nurtured by his mother at a very young age. Throughout his childhood, he was under the tutelage of the most renowned masters of Persian music including Abdollah Davami, Nourali Boroumand, and Mahmood Karimi. At eleven, he performed on television for the first time. By twenty-nine, he had gained a loyal fan base. He has continued to perform in Iran and abroad over the course of the last two decades. He has performed at major venues worldwide, including The Festival of Aix-en-Provence, The festival of Avignon, Theâtre de la Ville in Paris, The Tokyo Summer festival, The Kodak Theatre (Oscar ceremony) in Los Angeles, and the Royal Albert Hall, the Festa delPopolo in Italy, The Beiteddine Festival in Lebanon, the Kölner Philharmonic in Germany, Asia Society, World Music Instituted and Brooklyn Academy of Music BAM in New York, the Roma Europa Festival in Rome, São Paulo Music Festival in Brazil and Fes Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco and many others.

From early on, Nazeri began to sing and compose music to the works of Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Rumi, Iran's most cherished Sufi poet. Nazeri was also pioneering in assimilating contemporary Persian poetry into the classical repertoire. His progressive approach to music has led to collaborative new projects with his son, composer and singer Hafez Nazeri. In year 2000 they performed Hafez's new composition in Iran which has hold the record for the most highly attended concert 140.000 in entire Middle East. In 2005/06 Nazeri along with his son's new Rumi ensemble launched "In the Path of Rumi," a highly successful North American tour which performed record-breaking sold-out concerts, to rave reviews. The venues, included Los Angeles' Kodak theater (12/11/05), - the most highly attended Persian classical music concert outside of Iran.

WorksSome of his albums are:Amir Kabir 2011, composed and led by Pejman Taheri
The Passion of Rumi 2008 (Live recording from Tehran, 2001), composed by Shahram Nazeri, arranged by Hafez Nazeri
The Book of Austerity 2007, with Farrokhzad Layegh
Mythical Chant 2002, also called Naghme-haye Sassani (Songs from Sassanid era), with Bashipour and Hafez Nazeri
Loulian 2001, with Dastan ensemble, composed by Shahram Nazeri and Hamid Motebassem
Shahram Nazeri & the Dastan Ensemble, 2001, Live in France, arranged by Kayhan Kalhor
Avaze Asatir, Kurdish Shahnameh, 2000, Daf by Hafez Nazeri, Tanboor by Alireza Feiz Bashi Pour
Safar be Digar Sou 1998, Live in Washington, D.C., (Through Eternity), composed by Shahram Nazeri, arranged by Dastan ensemble
98's Concert 1998, Live in Shiraz on Hafez’ Anniversary, with Kamkars and Hafez Nazeri
Nowruz 1990, Live in Cologne, Germany, performed by Aref and Shayda Ensemble, composed by Hossein Alizadeh plus some Persian folk songs
Les Maitres de la Musique Traditionnelle: Nazeri & Tala’i 1980s, Live at the Théâtre de la Ville
Gol-e Sadbarg 1984, (One hundred-petalled flower), composed by Jalal Zolfonoun, Shahram Nazeri & Reza Ghassemi
Atashi Dar Neyestan 1980s, (A Fire in the Reed-Bed), composed by Jalal Zolfonoun & Shahram Nazeri
Layli & Majnoun 1990, (the Beloved and the Lover), with masters of Persian music composed by Faramarz Payvar
Concert of the Masters of Persian Music 1989, Faramarz Payvar, Ali-Asghar Bahari, Jalil Shahnaz, Mohammad Mousavi and Mohammad Esmaili
Del-e Shayda 1990s, (Enchanted Heart), performed by masters of Persian music, composed by Faramarz Payvar
Chashm Be-raah 1990s, (Kept Awaiting), with Atta Jangouk
Mystified 1990s, (Heyrani), performed by Shams Ensemble, composed by Kaykhosro Pournazeri
Mahtab-rou 1990s, (as beautiful as the moon), performed by Shams Ensemble, composed by Kaykhosro Pournazeri
Voice of Endearment 1970s, (Sedaye Sokhan-e Eshgh), performed by Shams Ensemble, composed by Kaykhosro Pournazeri
Shour-Angiz 1980s, (Joy-giver), composed by Hossein Alizadeh, performed by Aref and Shayda Ensemble
Yadegar-e doust (In remembrance of a friend), composed by Kambiz Roshanravan
Baharan-e Abidar 1980s (Springtime in Abidar [a mountain around Sanandaj / Iran]), with Kamkars group
Beshno az Ney 1980s (Listen to the Reed), with Fereydoun Shahbazian
Dar Golestaneh 1980s, (In Golestaneh [a village around Kashan / Isfahan province]),composed by Hooshang Kamkar
Laleh Bahar 1970s, (Spring Tulip), with Aref Ensemble, composed by Parviz Meshkatian
Bi Gharar 1980s, composed by Jalil Andalibi
Kish-e mehr 1980s, (Manner of Affection) composed by Jalil Andalibi
Benmay Rokh 1970s, (Show me your Face), composed by Jalil Andalibi
Chavoush (4 Volumes) 1970s, performed by Shayda Ensembe, composed by Mohammad-Reza Lotfi
Kave-e Ahangar , (composed by Farid Elhami, Tanbour by Farid Elhami)
Honors

Nazeri and Hossein Alizadeh concert in Madrid, 2011
His international appeal led to several invitations to speak at various media outlets, including radio stations such as NPR in the United States, BBC, a live appearance on the Fox Channel (3/10/06), and an exclusive on ABC NEWS, following a recent New York performance. Master Nazeri’s performances have garnered critical acclaim worldwide and won him awards at music festivals around the world. In 1975, he won First Prize at the Concours de Musique Traditionelle, the first competition to showcase Iran’s great performers. More recently, the Ministry of Culture in Iran named him the Best Singer of Classical Persian and Sufi Music. UCLA has honored Shahram Nazeri with the Living Legend Award. The United Nations has honored Nazeri with are cognition award for his legendary contribution to the revival of Kurdish and Iranian Classical Music. The Irvine City Hall Award of Distinction in Persian music was given to Shahram Nazeri for his contributions in spreading Rumi’s spiritual message of peace through the language of music. February 25, 2006, was named "SHAHRAM NAZERI DAY" in San Diego County by the Mayor and the Chairman of San Diego’s Board of Supervisors. Soon after this date Shahram Nazeri also received a recognition award from the Congress of the United States and was invited to perform and lecture at Stanford University, Columbia University, University of California Berkeley, University of California Los Angeles UCLA, Emory University in Atlanta and Harvard University where he was recognized for his pioneering efforts in introducing Rumi to the West as well as for his innovations in Persian music. Shahram Nazeri awarded France’s Chevalier des Arts et Lettres medal on September 2007. Persian Nightingale achieved this award because of his efforts in Iranian classical music and introducing it to the western countries during these three decades. He also received the Lifetime Cultural Heritage Award at the Annual Dinner of the Asia Society of New York on November 6, 2007.

On 19 June 2014, it was announced that Nazari will receive France's National Order of Merit.