A directive to allocate the requisite funding for reopening the Tehran Symphony Orchestra and Iran’s National Orchestra has been issued by Mohammad Bagher Nobakht, head of the Management and Planning Organization (MPO).
Citing “lack of sufficient resources and equipment” as the problems faced by the orchestras during the previous government’s tenure, deputy minister of culture and Islamic guidance, Ali Moradkhani said the request for funds had been made to the MPO to revive the orchestras, both of which were suspended two years ago, ISNA reported.
With the 30th edition of the International Fajr Music Festival less than three months away, Moradkhani said the task to oversee Iran’s orchestras was handed over by the ministry of culture and Islamic guidance to Rudaki Foundation, a non-governmental artistic and cultural institution, “to reduce the burden on the director of the ministry’s Office for Music “who has many other executive responsibilities.” But, he said, the music office is still in charge of monitoring all activities related to orchestras.
He was hopeful that the two orchestras would officially resume their activities soon, but it is unclear whether “they will be ready to perform in the 30th edition of Fajr Music Festival,” the most prestigious national music event.
The Tehran Symphony Orchestra, by far the oldest and biggest of several concert hall-style ensembles in Iran, was founded originally as “Municipality Symphony Orchestra” in 1933 by Gholam-Hossein Minbashian. During its heydays in the 1960s and 1970s, it hosted performances by famous musicians including the violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin.
Iran’s National Orchestra was founded in 1998 under conductor Farhad Fakhreddini.
The orchestra included Persian traditional instruments, strings and wood wind instruments.
Iran National Orchestra also performed outside of Iran, in Switzerland and Kuwait. The orchestra was disbanded in 2012, reportedly because of financial problems.
