For the fourth consecutive night on Saturday, the ministry of interior’s hall in central Tehran resonated with the sounds of the New Age music by the world-renowned master Kitaro.
The Japanese musician appeared on stage playing his flute after a slight delay to his performance. The spirited solo by Kitaro was indeed a prologue to the world of sweet melodies he had in reserve for his ardent fans.
After he put the whole hall in the mood, ringing a bell, he summoned his band to the stage: a keyboard player, an electric bass player, an electric drummer, a violinist, and a pianist who was the conductor of the group as well.
For about 20 minutes, the 61-year-old composer and his band took the crowd down memory lane with the ‘Silk Road’ music, which was warmly welcomed by the audience.
Dedication
On the keyboard from then on, Kitaro played brilliantly; moreover, his deft movements on the keys showed his passion and dedication to his 36-year career. The lady violinist, too, was superb and wowed the audience with her skillful playing.
Thirty minutes into the program, he greeted the attendees with the traditional “Salaam.” Expressing great joy in finally coming to Iran, he said he waited 35 years for this to happen and “today it is a dream come true.” Calling Iran the mainstream of Silk Road, he said “35 years ago I was drawn to the culture of Iran.” His speech resulted in clapping and cheers.
He also talked about the difficulty of collaboration between his band and the symphony orchestra, but said, “we have got closer each day from the first performance; and as we all communicate in music, it’s easy to understand. Now in the fourth night, we are connected.”
For the rest of his program, he invited the symphony orchestra, comprising 40 Iranian musicians. The orchestra included several different instruments including violin, viola, cello, trumpet, clarinet, and drums.
Different Styles
In the pieces he performed during the two-hour program, a combination of different styles could be heard, from classical tunes to eastern music and Arabic melodies. Other than the famous songs from his previous albums, he also performed a new song, not released yet.
The Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ali Jannati, his deputy for art affairs Ali Moradkhani, and director of the music department in the ministry Pirouz Arjmand attended the event. Kitaro thanked the ministry’s support which paved the ground for the visit.
At the end of the concert, the music enthusiasts gave the orchestra a long standing ovation. The rapturous applause did not stop even when Kitaro left the stage. He returned once again to the stage, waving, bowing, and thanking the crowd; saying good-bye, and hoped to come back soon.
