Date: February 18th, 2012
Venue: Town Hall New York Citytown
- Review by Piruz Partow
Turkey’s Rumi foundation honors Shajarian
Turkey’s International Mevlana Foundation honored Iran’s living legend of traditional music Mohammad Reza Shajarian during the first night of his concerts in Konya, Turkey.
The International Mevlana Foundation honored Shajarian with a Golden pin and Shajarian presented his handwritten poems of Rumi as well as his cassettes to the foundation.
Shajarian performed concerts accompanied by the Shahnaz Ensemble over four days at the Konevi Cultural Center following an invitation from the International Mevlana Foundation. The program is a part of the week-long program at the 736th Commemoration of Rumi which is being held from December 7 to 17 in Konya.
At the beginning of the concert Shajarian expressed his thanks to the foundation as well as Konya Municipality for holding the program. Rumi’s 22nd niece Esin Celebi who is also the deputy director of the foundation said that Shajarian has a heavenly voice that attracts Rumi aficionados. She went on to say that Shajarian presented the world with peace, friendship and love with his songs during his career.
At the end of the concert, Shajarian performed his smash hit “Morgh-e Sahar” (The Bird of Dawn) following the audience’s clamoring to hear the piece.
Shajarian to give concerts in Konya
Photo: Mohammad Reza Shajarian acknowledges the audience during his concert with the Shahnaz Ensemble at Tehran’s National Grand Hall on June 27, 2008.
Giant of traditional Iranian music Mohammad Reza Shajarian accompanied by the Shahnaz Ensemble will be giving performances in Konya. They will present the concerts on December 13, 14, 16 and 17 during the annual ceremonies held in Konya on the anniversary of the death of the Persian poet Rumi.
His death in mid-December 1273 (called Seb-i Aruz) is considered his “wedding night”, the night he departed this earthly life and was finally united in love with the Divine.
They will perform pieces on poems of Hafez and Rumi which were previously performed at Tehran’s National Grand Hall in summer 2008. Tickets will be available from November 15 at Shajarian’s official website for buying tickets at www.shajarianconcert.com.
In 2009, the world celebrates the 802nd anniversary of Rumi’s birth and the 735th anniversary of his death.
