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PayvandNews – The conductor of Iran’s National Orchestra Farhad Fakhreddini resigned from his position on Tuesday over a lack of cooperation from officials.
Farhad Fakhreddini at a concert performance in June 2015
(photo by Islamic Republic News Agency)
“Last year, I spent one of the best periods of my career and I had the honor to accompany a group of best musicians during several acclaimed performances,” he told the Persian MNA.
“But concerning the orchestra, the officials did not address requirements, and all their efforts led it in a direction that I did not approve of, so I no longer felt it appropriate for me to continue working with the orchestra,” noted Fakhreddini who founded the orchestra in 1998.
He also lamented over the lack of pay for the musicians of the orchestra and added, “However, they [officials] spent large amounts of money to invite foreign musicians.”
After founding the National Orchestra, Fakhreddini, 80, attracted a huge number of musicians, including legendary vocalist Mohammadreza Shajarian, to collaborate with the orchestra.
However, earlier in July 2009, he announced his resignation after the Music Office decided under pressure from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance to hand over management of the orchestra to the Rudaki Foundation.
Consequently, the orchestra was almost dismantled. However, Fakhreddini established an independent ensemble named the Mehrnavazan Orchestra in 2011 with musicians who had performed in the National Orchestra.
After the victory of Hassan Rouhani in the 2013 presidential election, Fakhreddini was tapped to reestablish the orchestra.
