An overview of the life and artistic activities of Master Shajarian
Master of Iranian song and music Mohammad Reza Shajarian was born on September 23, 1940, in Mashhad. He had a beautiful voice since childhood. As a result he was educated by his father, who was a Qur’an reciter. He recited the Quran for the first time at the age of 12 on Radio Mashhad.
In 1960, learning to play the dulcimer caused him to become eager to learn notes and vocal lines. In 1970, he joined to the radio and television, and since 1971, he has performed several works in collaboration with the “Golhaye Tazeh or Fresh Flowers” program. Moreover, Shajarian was an artist who revolutionized Iranian music and singing with new methods in the 1970s.
Most importantly, in 2009 during nationwide Iran protests, Master Shajarian was outraged by the Iranian regime’s brutality against protesters. Despite he said previously that he did not want to participate in politics, he opposed and protested the regime’s suppression of peaceful demonstrators. A video from 2009 shows Shajarian chanting, “Death to the dictator.”
After that, in response to Shajarian’s protest against the mullahs’ repression, the regime banned broadcasting all his music and Ramadan prayers, which posted on radio and television for years, and no longer allowed him to hold concerts inside Iran.
During a ceremony in commemoration of historic Persian poet Hafez in 2015, when the attendants asked Shajarian to sing in honor of the poet, he said, “I live in a country where I’m banned from singing for my people.”
It is worth noting, in several interviews, he clearly stated that the regime pressures him to regret his past protests, and he will not give in.
Message of condolence from Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance
After Shajarian passed away, a statement issued by Mrs. Maryam Rajavi. Mrs. Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), said:
“My condolences to the Iranian people, to Iran’s arts community, and to Mr. Shajarian’s family and friends on the passing of one of Iran’s greatest artists. Shajarian’s brilliant work and record are everlasting and among the most precious treasures of our national art. The ruling mullahs’ restrictions and pressures have not and will never undermine his status and his enormous contributions to Iran’s art and music scene, particularly the art of singing. Without a doubt, Iran’s arts community and those who care about Iran’s music will build upon his contributions, teachings, and unique innovations as never before and will add to Iran’s unrivaled treasures of arts and culture. Mr. Shajarian’s vocals have been warmly received in the hearts of millions of Iranians for several generations and cannot be extinguished.”
Protesters chanting “death to dictator” protest against Mullahs’ regime
On October 8, the mourning ceremonies for Shajarian turned into anti-regime protests. The crowd chanted slogans against the state-run Radio and Television Organization, which had censored Shajarian’s art.
“The State Radio and Television is a disgrace,” the people chanted.
Also, angry protesters in Tehran, while honoring the Master of Persian traditional music’s memory, chanted slogans against the entirety of the regime. Videos from Iran show people chanting “Death to the dictator.”
Suppression forces attacked the mourners and tried to disperse the crowd. Simultaneously, Mullahs’ regime limited internet bandwidth as the gatherings took place, but short video clips of the protests posted in social media.
