Sharif Lotfi
Audio of the Entire Interview
Interview Transcript
Part 01
The childhood, Memories of studying at Higher Conservatory of Music, Wining Scholarship
I was born on 26th of Ordibehesht, 1329 (18th of May, 1950) in Rasht, Gilan.
There, at grade 3 of primary school the schoolmates asked me to go to their classes to sing.
I remember that I stumped my feet while singing and the
schoolmates looked down to show my feet to each other
The only thing I can remember is my father’s musical instrument
but I couldn’t understand what that exactly was because I was too young.
He had bought a piano via Anzali Harbor; it was imported
from the neighbor country of the North of Iran.
I only played with that as a game but didn’t understand what it was. While I was 10
, we have moved to Tehran because of a change in my father’s job.
Colonel Ali-Naghi Vaziri (composer) had ordered Mr. Abolhassan Saba
(the virtuosi in violin) to go to Rasht to improve the musical system there;
at that time my father was Saba’s violin trainee.
Therefore, he wished to register me at music school
When I was 12, he took me to the higher conservatory of music
located in front of Marmar Palace (a historic palace in Tehran).
At the conservatory, they took me to the flute class to take the first test.
. As a test, the flute teacher asked me to say // (the long “a”).
– I asked: “how long?”
– He said: “based on your breath.”
I started to say the long ‘a’. Suddenly, I saw one of the
schoolmates was pulling a wry face so I laughed aloud.
The teacher became so angry, kicked me out the class and
said: “why you untalented ones come here and waste our time?!
You are not good enough at music!”
I came out and stood in the corridor. The fat deputy came and asked me:
what happened? Why you stand here? You were there to test, aren’t you?’
I said: “I couldn’t pass.” The deputy said: ‘That’s it! You
untalented ones come here and waste our time!’
I don’t know what had changed next because he took me with Mr. Morteza Hannane (composer).
Mr. Hannane took me different tests including rhythmic, intervallic and sounds
I passed and started to study at the conservatory of music to take diploma and bachelor of music.
My professors at conservatory were Mr. Morteza Hannane,
who taught Horn and has suggested it for me as my instrument;
Mr. Hossein Nasehi (composer, Trombonist), Hooshang Ostovar
(composer, pianist), Alfred Madrdoyan (
conductor of Iran National Choir) and Yoosef Yoosefzadeh (conductor,
pianist). Mrs. Farimah Ghavam Sadri (pianist, musician), Mr. Javid Majlesi (hornist,
conductor) and Karim Googerdchi (composer) were of
my classmates; many of them didn’t continue their career in music and chose other courses.
There is a very bad memory I remember since I was at higher conservatory of music.
Though the financial support for music on behalf of the Regime,
there was no wider proper perspective for the higher conservatory of music.
There were weak facilities for us. I remember a problem caused
by the Ministry of Culture and Art for the late Mr. Hossein Nasehi (composer); so,
he was totally isolated based on the Regime order.
We, as his students, decided to conciliate from him.
S, we gathered his pieces of music and I formed an orchestra
and conducted them to rehearse and perform his works.
We held a ceremony to honor him at the higher conservatory of music.
I remember Mr. Mahmood Khoshnam, the editorial director of “Roodaki Magazine”
at that time, was present at the ceremony.
He asked me: “what do you like to say?”
I think I was the first-year student at that time.
I told him: “Roodaki Hall isn’t enough for rehearsal or performance.
In the first instance, we need a perfect conservatory.”
As Mohammadreza Pahlavi,
the Shah of Iran, had commanded to build Roodaki Hall,
so it was completely normal that they became angry with such a thing I said.
Therefore, I was dismissed from the conservatory for 2 weeks.
It was a bad memory of mine that has affected badly since that year of my education up to now.
I had suggested the performers at the conservatory to form an
orchestra because there was no orchestra.
This was that lack of facilities I mentioned. There were even no
curtains hung the windows of the conservatory rooms to make them acoustic
It was only an example of that lack of facilities. The building of
the conservatory belonged to a hospital before being the conservatory.
Once there were no enough classes, they had to use the toilet
room so they removed the European-style toilet and put three-layer moquette on the floor
Then we sat there to rehearse and we didn’t know what is there under the moquette.
There was no standard place to rehearse and also we were not
allowed to do any other activities rather than the classes ones.
There wasn’t even an orchestra as the credit so I suggested the
performers at the conservatory to form an orchestra.
. They have accepted and we held meeting at the building basement.
One of us was volunteered to let us know that the dean had left the conservatory.
Then, we all came down to the basement quickly to start rehearsing; I was their conductor.
We informed other persons at the other schools that we were the students of conservatory an
d were ready to perform the various pieces of music.
. All of these activities were done at that basement because we
knew the dean wouldn’t let us to do them.
One day, we were rehearsing at the basement but unfortunately
the dean came back to the conservatory to take something he had forgotten.
Another mischance on that day was that he couldn’t park his car in that every place he had
parked everyday so he parked exactly in front of the basement window.
We saw his car and understood that he had come back.
When the dean got off the car, he heard some sound and voice.
So he bent down and saw us. We all ran away with our musical instruments in our hands.
He came down to the basement and started to kick up a row to
find the one who caused such a chaos
As I was the cause, so I was dismissed again for another 15 days.
Graduating in music at the conservatory, I could be the member of T
ehran Symphonic Orchestra as the hornist
; this was because I was good enough at performing Horn
and also because Tehran Symphonic Orchestra needed a hornist.
. Mr. Heshmat Sanjari (composer, conductor, pianist,
violinist) was the conductor of Tehran Symphonic Orchestra at that time.
. A good outcome for me as the hornist in Tehran Symphonic
Orchestra was that I could be more professional
professional and qualified enough to perform horn for
Tehran Opera Orchestra and also for the Ballet Orchestra.
Then, Mr. Farhad Meshkat (composer, conductor, violinist)
came back to Iran and became the conductor of Tehran Symphonic Orchestra;
I was the hornist there for 2 years later.
The last thing we had to do to get Bachelor was holding a recital or concert at the Hall.
In my concert, Mrs. Leyli Serkisian (pianist) was the
accompanist. It was really good. Mr. Pahbod was of the invited but I didn’t know that.
After the recital finished, he came backstage with the dean of the conservatory.
It was because there was no M.A. for music in Iran. They
selected me as an excellent student to grant me governmental scholarship
I had known the professor Heinrich Keller (German hornist
and Horn instructor) in relation to my musical instrument
and the course I wanted to study. So, I travelled to Hamburg
Part 02
Education in Germany, Coming back Iran and Working at the Higher Conservatory of Music
I travelled to Hamburg. There, at the university we had to choose
a main course (in German called ‘Hauptfach’) and then a
secondary course (in German called ‘Nebenfach’)
I selected Pedagogy as the main course and orchestra conducting as the secondary one
As we had various credits, we had many professors. But there
were two of them who were really impressive including Mr.
Heinrich Keller in teaching Horn and Mr. Schruter in pedagogy.
During the years of studying in Hamburg, Mr. Yoosef
Yoosefzadeh was appointed on behalf of Ministry of Art and Culture to visit us and tell us that
we had to come back Iran immediately after graduation
Therefore, as soon as I graduated and took my
certificates I came back Iran. While studying
I severely thought about the Iranian Music because I was really interested in that;
When I was student at the higher conservatory of music, there was
another conservatory called ‘National Music Conservatory’;
there they taught Iranian Music only and the western classical
music was taught at the higher conservatory of music;
now it is known as the world music and is taught at the universities.
I asked Mr. Yoosefzadeh to bring me the books or the
phonograph records about Iranian Music whenever he traveled to Hamburg to visit us.
He did me a favor and brought me whatever I needed. Hence, I
could study severely about Iranian Music
So, I became talented enough in this genre of music and came
back Iran knowing full about Iranian Music
It was 1356 (1977) that I came back Iran. The Islamic
Revolution occurred in 1357 (1978).
It was 1358 (1979) that I went to the Ministry of Science,
Research and Technology to deliver my certificates.
I went to the related department
and gave one of the staff my certificates in a folder
I asked him to evaluate my certificates like all other ones.
I said: “I had to come here with you, hadn’t I?”
“Yes. What are these in this folder?”
“My certificates.” I said.
– “I know. Which course you’ve studied?” he asked.
“Music.” I said.He stood up angrily and said: “they will torture you on Doomsday because of
studying this course!” (shows the superstitions at those years).
I was only 28 years old so I was really shocked of such a
nonsense. I went back home and waited,
as I was tolerant enough during these past years. Again, I went to
the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology and delivered my certificates,
though the fear I had because of the thing I heard the first time.
Finally, the problem was solved and they received my certificates.
I became the faculty member at higher conservatory of music. I started teaching there;
the students were really eager to music. There were still lack of
facilities exactly the same as the time I was student there.
In the first instance, they needed an orchestra. So we gathered
the performers, enrolled them and formed the orchestra.
We rehearsed and performed many pieces composed by Iranian composers and the foreign ones.
Two years later, I was selected on behalf of the Coordination
Council as the head of higher conservatory of music. In 1360 (1981),
the universities were closed because of the cultural revolution in Iran.
Being the head, I have analyzed the total problems at the conservatory;
one of the biggest ones was that we didn’t know who has first
compiled and approved the credits.
I found no special document except some regulations ratified
by the Technical Council of the conservatory many years ago.
I mean some professors and instructors of the Technical
Council gathered together to ratify some credits. So,
, the education chart of the conservatory was based on their
ratifications from grade 4 at primary school to grade 4 at high school.
But they weren’t firm and clear so I was really wondered
. Before the Islamic Revolution, there was a full financial support on behalf of Pahlavi Regime.
So, that lack of facilities was really surprising
There was the same problem at the National Music Conservatory.
So, I decided to solve these problems to remove lack of
facilities and manage the syllables and the credits.
. One day that I was working on my projects, I heard the guard at
the door of the conservatory was
quarrelling with a man who
entered inside without any permission; the man was coming toward my office
He entered my room, sat in front of me and said: ‘what do you do here?’
Well, it was normal on those first years after the Islamic Revolution.
I answered him: “Nothing special. You’ve come here
without any permission and you know exactly what we do here.”
“No, I don’t know! What do you do here?” he asked.
– “Well, I explain you. We teach music here.” I said.
– “We need pilot!” he said.
– “A pilot?” I asked.
– “Yes!” de said.
– “So you are in a wrong place now. You should go some blocks further.” I said.
I looked the other way, as he did it himself
, I wasn’t to convince him. Soon after, we understood that there was an intrigue.
“No, I am in a right place.” he said.
I figured out that he is agent and excuse. He stood up and started to check everywhere. Clearly
That man came back to the conservatory again and told me:
‘From now on, you must have 4 grades only for high school and
no grade for primary or secondary school, anymore.’
– “I won’t do such a thing!” I said.
– “You have to do it!” he said.
– “I don’t do it at all!” I said.
As soon as he left, I wrote my compulsory resignation and pinned the paper of it on the
board – everybody at the conservatory became angry of such a decision.
conservatory became angry of such a decision.
. I did it because I was being selected by the Coordination Council; the staff, the B.A.
students and the teachers were the members of this Council.
Finally, another person was
selected as the head of the conservatory and many levels and courses was deleted from
the conservatory chart – the outcome of that intrigue.
Me and some of the teachers at the conservatory bought a
building near Saei Park (a famous public park in Tehran).
We also bought some pianos and started teaching those students who had left the conservatory
The instructors at our new place were me, Mr. Kamal Poortorab
(composer, music instructor),
Mr. Daryoosh Afrasyabi (guitarist), Mr. Googerdchi (composer) and Mrs.
Aflia Kambajian (pianist); I was the head and managing there.
There were free classes to handle and manage the
students after I had resigned and after the conservatory was closed.
It was before 1360 (1981). In 1360 (1981), the University of
Arts Complex was built and we have been transferred there because we were of the faculty
members at higher conservatory of music.
The other teachers at the conservatory had to stay there
because they weren’t of the faculty member.
The conservatory system was completely changed; it was just
for 4 years of high school and other students were sent to the other schools.
. There were too much dissatisfaction and complain on
behalf of the parents but I could do nothing because I had resigned.
Those who have stayed at the conservatory were off because of
the Cultural Revolution in Iran in 1360 (1981) and we have
transferred to the University of Arts Complex.
part 03
Cultural Revolution in Iran, Teaching at the University of Art, Ratification of Music Courses, Foundation of Faculty of Music
University of Art
The word “Music” was really nonsense during some years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
. There were only hymn and religious song on Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting.
Another important task I should have done for the music students was to compose some
pieces for them because they only performed and rehearsed pieces of hymn
religious song and march. In spite of all other my tasks, I wrote some pieces for them
The students tried to rehearse them and recorded my pieces of music by the Radio Orchestra,
located at Arg Square in Tehran.
But I didn’t accept the way of performing and recording.
Those pieces were only as a gift for the music students on behalf
of me because they had to only perform and
By these kinds of tasks, we could at least get through the music
during those years after the Revolution
Symphonic Orchestra at Bahman Cultural Center, conducted by Sharif Lotfi (1373 / 1994)
After the Cultural Revolution in 1360 (1981), we’ve been
transferred to the University of Arts Complex.
They asked us to be in the library to study or translate or research –
anything rather than teaching.
We all went to start our work in the library not in the classrooms.
We set our articles and researches and delivered them.
Those persons who analyzed our studies weren’t qualified enough to do such a thing,
unfortunately. One day, I decided to visit the head of the Complex
I told him that I was of those who would sat in the library to write
my books. Now, I wish to plan the academic courses. Surprisingly, he accepted!
I was really shocked. Me, Mr. Mostafa Poortorab (composer,
music instructor) and Mr. Ahmad Pejman (composer, pianist) decided to plan the courses.
Mr. Mostafa Poortorab, Mr. Ahmad Pejman, Mr. Sharif Lotfi
We started to plan, not knowing what would happen for the
course of music at universities. Finally,
Imam Khomeini said: ‘there is no problem for suspicious voice
(related to the music) in Islam.’
Based on his allowance, a kind of planning was being ratified in music
. Soon after, I found out that an academic program was ratified called ‘Music Program’.
I looked at its credits: music in the sea, music in the galaxies, music in nowhere.
Shocking! Well, we couldn’t omit or change the ratification
because we had to execute that academic program in 1368 (1989) under that allowance.
There wasn’t any meaningful framework or any special course
in that ratified program, a nonsense.
We passed some time with that academic program but it was
really disaster! We decided to change it
It was a difficult task; we had it typed and proofread. We
declared our demand – a faculty of music.
It was an era in when we weren’t allowed even to talk about the
music because there were only hymn and religious songs.
They laughed at us for such a demand because playing or performing music was still
forbidden so it was rather impossible to build a faculty for a forbidden course
. They offered us another option: to build a faculty of hymn and religious songs.
They even had set its program. It was a bad meeting we had with them.
I would permanently think on this matter
; I believed that the first step toward my goal isn’t necessarily the last step.
We had to continue to reach our goal.
Sometime later, they held a meeting and informed us to take part in that meeting
to analyze the academic program we have planned.
The whole Iran was in war (the war between Iran and Iraq, 1359-1367 / 1980-1988). So
we didn’t know what to declare in the meeting
We decided to present our academic program in the form of military music to get it approved.
Some of them in the meeting were supporting us.
We explained the others about our course of military music
We mentioned about that man who sang march-melodic songs and hymns at the front
(Mr. Sadegh Ahangaran) to persuade the soldiers continue the war
We declared that his songs were based on the music and nothing else
We told them: ‘But, if music is forbidden based on your opinion
, so why would you support him a lot?
We knew that is because of encouraging the soldiers. Our music program is based on that, too
Fortunately, they approved and our academic program was ratified.
We were shocked and surprised!
Truly speaking, the credits in our course of academic program
were those of the other courses. Later, we provided the next course
They asked: ‘what is this course about?’
‘It is the course of composing. Composing is our job,’ we
answered. They wanted to analyze it again but we told them that they have ratified it before so
there was no need to do it again.
who has analyzed and ratified these two courses?’
You, yourselves,’ we answered
They decided to check them. We showed them the chart of credits
in the program of new course we’ve provided
. They compared the two syllabi. There were the same credits in both:
harmony, solfege, organology
“You yourselves have approved and ratified this academic
course before,” I told them. Suddenly
they found out what a bad thing had happened for them. They
were dissatisfied with such a decision they have made themselves but the academic
course was ratified and they could do nothing.
Soon after that, we provided another academic course.
They asked: “what is this course about?”
– “Iranian Music Performance.” we said.
Therefore, we had three academic courses in music. I visited the
head of the University to talk about these three academic courses
University of Art
I recommended the head to develop these academic
courses of music and open the Faculty of Music
The head of department asked me to be as his Research Deputy of University and
I was assigned as the first Research Deputy at University of Art
I had to do some more other things there, rather than my previous tasks;
concentrate on foundation the Faculty of Music beside the
responsibility of Research Deputy of University
I wished to be useful and helpful but we had nothing in our hands
The Research Deputy Office was founded and it was a good
opportunity for me to use my authority
I decided to attract the Supreme Leader Presentation in
Universities so I planned to hold a seminar named ‘Music in Islam’;
’; it was definitely a great important event because we would thereby encounter two outcomes:
founding the Faculty of Music or not. If not, there was no use of
ratifying even ten courses in music without any faculty
We printed the posters of this seminar, advertised heavily and widely
Mohammad-Taghi Jafari, the great scholar in Islam
He had written a book against music so we didn’t know how to invite him to the seminar
Finally, I volunteered to visit him for invitation. I explained him about the seminar
“What is the goal of this seminar?” he asked.
“It is to consider the great music scientifically.” I replied him.
Finally, he accepted our invitation. He was also one of the lecturers
We asked another specialist in music to lecture his own words
That seminar supported all of us to reach our goal
There was a positive consequence of the seminar – a confirmation toward the
foundation the Faculty of Music
. By us I mean the head of the University of Art, the staff and me.
Faculty of Music
The authorities had some reformations and the University of Arts Complex had been
changed to the University of Art
Our Faculty of Music could be opened with the three ratified courses which I have provided
There was no place in Tehran for the building of the faculty.
We decided to continue our program in that university and
waited for the proper place of the building.
There was a piece of land belonging to Farabi University
that was of the University of Arts Complex
. I recommended the head of University of Art to use that piece of land to build Faculty of Music
When Mr. Mostafa Moen was as the Minister of Culture and Higher Education,
I asked him to approve using that piece of land as the building of Faculty of Music
He approved but we were allowed to spend the dormitory
budget for such a matter so we had to build the dormitory buildings first and stay there
We should build the main building of the Faculty later
. Karaj Pardise Dormitory Buildings of Tehran University of Art were built.
It wasn’t in the form of the Faculty yet. Finally, the Faculty of Music was opened in 1373 (2004).
We had a meeting with the students, the staff and the professors of the Faculty to talk
about the problems we encountered in Iran for music.
The building hadn’t been complete yet and we started the
academic year with a delay of two weeks
. The students, the staff and the qualified professors had
accepted to start the academic year under that awful circumstances
no electricity, no tap water – we used the water of a water tank. We opened
the Faculty of Music at the University of Art under that circumstances
. There was no asphalt on the yard around the building and
also no fence. I called the station of Law Enforcement Force and asked them to help us
They assigned five retired detectives to have their eyes on the building of Faculty
It is of the sweet funny memory for those years at the Faculty
I have told the authorities of the University of Art about those
five detectives because there was no fence around the building
. We hadn’t enough money to build fence. This is the story of opening the Faculty of Music
The Faculty was opened in 1373 (1994) and there were only three courses. I was the head
. Immediately, he held a meeting with me and I explained him about the reason of that letter I wrote him
the students had to travel to Tehran to attend the University of Art
Part 04
Ratification Various Courses in Music, Opening the Faculty of Music,
Non-profit Education
Little by little, we could get ratified some other courses for the Faculty of Music.
The courses for B.A. including Iranian Musical Instrument
Performance, Classical Music Performance, Martial Music, Musical Composition
and for M.A. including Iranian Musical Instrument Performance, Classical Music Performance,
Musical Composition, Musicology. When I was as the head of the Faculty,
all these course were ratified before I was retired.
Faculty of Music
As well as other academic courses, the courses in music are also based on the principles
The principles in any course are as the foundation or substructure of a building.
So, I taught the credit of ‘music principles’ as the most important credit of the music course
It was my extreme goal that my students would know the music
basically well; my students were full knowledge in music so I could reach my goal
I did my job well in teaching. During all the years as the head and as a teacher,
I tried a lot for such a goal. I could make a new method in teaching music that was unique
whether in Iran or abroad.
I published a book named ‘a new approach toward the
principles of music performance’ (University of Art Press).
It was a must for the University of Art to open the Faculty of Music as a center of
the non-profit education because this Faculty wasn’t developed completely enough
There was non-profit education for all the courses of art
including music, photography, painting etc. So
the non-profit education department was opened at the
University of Art. By non-profit education
we meant that any other persons, rather than the student,
could attend the classes at the University
The non-profit education was under the framework of the academic thought
It lasts about 16 years but the authorities of the University persisted to
disband the non-profit education department because of lack of
space for the classes – of course it was an excuse
A first we didn’t accept but finally we moved another location.In parallel to finding a new location,
we had to try to get the other courses ratified.
Mr. Anvar, the engineer, visited me and asked me to start the technologic education.
We planned for the level of Associate degree in the course of technologic education
Fortunately, all the course planning was ratified. This course was really helpful not only in music
but also in other courses. It was also a basis for the University of Applied
Science and Technology in non-profit education of music
There are many branches of this kind of education around Iran, not just in Tehran
It was of the best outcomes during these past years. After opening the Faculty of Music
developing non-profit education in music was my another concern
I wrote an official letter to the all heads of Universities of Art and Architecture around Iran
I recommended them to have the course of music at their
universities, as well as other artistic courses
I let them know about all the legal ratifications of
music in our country that they can execute them
It took some years. I usually travel to the North of Iran – my hometown – for my holiday
Once I was driving there, I decided to drive another way
toward the University of Gilan to
talk to the head because he hadn’t even answered my letter
I told him: “as there is no faculty of music or university of art here in Gilan,
the students had to travel to Tehran to attend the University of Art
They have to stay in dormitories far from their families, therefore,
they may become depressed.
You have to open such a university or faculty here in your
province to prevent the students travelling Tehran.
I wrote the protocol for the head to sign; he didn’t know about it himself
I wished to convince him. I let him know about the protocol and told him that I have signed it
myself and also signed on behalf of him
Opening a faculty for some courses in music was a great event in Gilan Province
The staff became really surprised. The authorities of the
universities in many other provinces were really
under pressure because they were not allowed to have music courses.
Therefore, they couldn’t stand any other more pressure due to
music department. Little by little,
the music department was developed; the authorities of the
university could buy various instruments and get other budgets for more courses.
I was invited to be assigned as the member of art department at
the Supreme Council for Planning.
The Council had to analyze any plan provided for developing the universities.
Analyzing plans related to the art courses were under
responsibility of the art department and plans for music were of mine.
The head of Quarterly Journal of Art asked me to analyze the
articles they received. At that time
I was both the editor of this journal and the member of the council.
The Iranology Foundation invited me to assign as their faculty member
Our task was to sit at the table on the stage to listen to the lecturers
and answer any kinds of questions to solve any kinds of problems
Another important task of mine was to provide equivalents for
the Latin vocabularies in our language.
For such a matter, we had to form a council at the Iranian Academy of the Arts.
I was also of the members at the Iranian Academy of Arts. I also
analyzed and edited the articles sent for the Farabi International Award.
So, I cooperated with them as the editor of their articles.
Unveil the Statue of the Artists, A Festival at Kish Island,
The Statue of Sharif Lotfi, Musician
The book of ‘Music Thought’ is a collection of my previous articles
Not many readers could read my articles because there was no
access. That’s why I decided to collect them as a book titled ‘The Music Thoughts’.
Once, the authorities there announced me about an award for me on behalf of them
I asked them about the reason. They declared that they have
known about my activities in teaching and
the new approach to teaching music, developed during the past years
They invited me to grant me that award.
The Award of Iranian Popularization of Science, 12th Period
of The Award of Iranian Popularization of Science (1390/2011)
Part 05
We believe in three matters: art is for art,
the human being is for art and art is for the human being.
The third has been always of my concerns.
The basic point in my classes wasn’t only
studying or learning music. I explained my basic point to my student via an example:
You exercise with dumbbells to strengthen your arms’ muscles.
Of course you don’t need to use only a
dumbbell. You can exercise even with two bricks because they
can also help you to build up your muscles
So, dumbbell is only a tool for you to reach
your goal – muscle strengthen.
It was an example I said to explain the students
about the meaning of the tool through the goal.
By such an example, the student would
understand that their musical instrument is only a tool and the music itself is the goal.
At first, they seriously focused on the musical
instrument; they thought that it was the basic matter in music,
especially at academic level.
Therefore, that example of dumbbells was the easiest way to
explain them that the tool wasn’t that much important that they have thought.
They understood neither the dumbbell
nor the arm muscle are of the importance; the most important
matter was the function of the muscle in various positions.
Arms with strengthened muscles are powerful enough to do everything.
So, there are three factors here: musical instrument
as the tool (dumbbell), music as the first goal (strengthened muscle) and the active creative
mind as the supreme goal (power and performance of the muscle).
The supreme goal is taught to the students
at M.A. level. This is the music framework.
this framework is non-physical and forms in mind. I would
focus on this framework to help the students reach a comprehensive,
, powerful, lively and mental-intellectual framework of their mind
Fortunately, the human is also affected by the emotional
aspect of music and we wish to straighten other aspects of music i.e. mental, intellectual.
Hence, the mind would be powerful via these aspects.
These are of the educational matters. Imagine you are an orchestra conductor.
Well, the first important matter for you is to conduct the piece trulyy
i.e. to convey mental, intellectual and emotional concerns of the composer to the
performers in front of yourself in the best wa
It is you who have to give the performers the correct information about that piece of music
you are conducting – about 100 performers must perform arranged
and harmonically and also wisely, emotionally.
Arrangement, harmony, wisdom and emotion are the things you
convey the performers as the conductor.
That’s why we see different performances of the same piece by
Beethoven, for example, because of different conductors.
Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven, performed
by Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
For composing music, you should know all musical elements
completely well. In musical composition, we seek the high unique talent of the composer.
Therefore, a brilliant impressive piece of music would be
formed by the composer including correct rhythm and intervals, exact tempo,
dynamic and agogic
a powerful technique in arranging the instruments; totally,
the nice sonority should be heard from the piece that is the outcome of the perfect knowledge
of the composer.
Finally, we hear the piece when the orchestra is performing – the orchestra conductor
plays an effective role in performing the piece and especially helps the beauty in playing
The musical elements are done basically by the composer beside the special style s/he uses
The composer definitely has a style or maybe follow other’s style. Hence, the composer
knows everything in music perfectly.
That’s why the composer is on top of the process of music composing.
We use the elements of western classical music in composing Iranian music.
We learn from the western classical musicians and use their experiences
I mean we use the elements to build the structure of Iranian music so the western
classical music itself does not sit as the Iranian one.
By analyzing the invention or the fugue, composed by Bach, we don’t mean to write
invention or fugue but to analyze and learn the way of composing
The goal of such a task is to develop our mental attitude and experience whatever the western
classical composers had experienced;
these kinds of processes has somehow been done during
the past years but without any special outcome.
But for the west, it is completely vice versa. About 800 years ago,
they started to compose polyphonic works
They did their best for music during centuries. They have written many books in music
They tested different methods of teaching music. That’s why they are in a high level of music now.
They keep progressing. This is the thing we have
never done for Iranian music.
I don’t mean the high conservatory of music because the western
classical music was taught there, not the Iranian one.
There were sever lack of facilities at our conservatories; the
buildings, the yards without asphalt and no trees,
, no comprehensive program, no confirmation on behalf
of the authorities, no educational budget. Beside these shortages,
there were no academic thought in managing the conservatories.
Unfortunately, no one was under responsibility for these kinds of problems
Before the Islamic Revolution in Iran,
there was a full financial support for music but no codified educational program.
Many great tasks could be done based on that great budget
e.g. providing great various musical projects.
Music composition was another matter with no fixed educational program.
Many instructors have declared some theories and ideas but there was no support to execute.
It was necessary to form a basis thought as the “creation in
Iranian music”; I teach this credit at the Music Faculty, University of Art
I proposed a new suggestion to compose based on the form of Iranian music.
It was according the human nature and the centrality of truth inner the whole human beings.
I paid attention to the sound acoustic because it is a kind of
science and the science belongs to no special geographic area
We formed a basic thought in creation of Iranian music
We didn’t declare it as music composition
to prevent any thought of similarity to follow the western classical musical elements.
We could form the Iranian music in a new
format by keeping the
inner basic of this genre of music.
The composition in Iranian music formed on the basis of Iranian Folk Music and Iranian
Traditional Modal Music (Dastgah).
That new basis was a new approach to revive
Iranian music, supported by the thought of “creation in Iranian music”.
I decided to compile a book concerning the use of western
classical music in the form of Iranian music
Comparing the past with the present, we would know the fashion-like memory
based on the repeated educational doctrines.
These doctrines were transferred to us by the
previous instructors since many years ago, written or orally
Unfortunately, there was no opportunity for the trainees to perform
the pieces of Iranian music thoughtfully; they had just somethings repeated to perform
They performed the pieces just because their instructors asked them to play
and nothing more, without any logical or mental thought
It was the same even for the singers, not only the performers.
Well, it led to a bad event: talking with others while performing music i.e. performing without
concentration because of the error in conveying the message from the body to the brain.
It is a disaster that many instructors know it as a kind of talent i.e.
they can talk with the trainee while performing the instrument!
A funny task as the gypsy does. In recent
years, we seek to prevent the music students from performing in a parrot-fashion manner
We wish to teach them how to perform logically, mentally and
thoughtfully in a way that they be able to concern the whole elements in music they
perform.
(15:54) String Quartet, “Chahargan” by Dr. Sharif Lotfi
Keykhosro Mokhtari, Ehsan Zabihi-Far (Kamanche: Iranian bowed string instrument)
Shima Shah-Mohammadi (Alto Gheychak: Iranian bowed Lute)
Bita Ghasemi (Bass Gheychak: Iranian bowed Lute)
We wish to be update to be able to have a better connection with
the youths otherwise they may consider us as the boring instructors.
Teaching is a hard task and as I said before, our world
suffers from two things: a good teacher, a good manager.
By a good teacher and a good manager, we would have a
developed civilized society that leads us to more and various success.
Part 06
Making Music Film, Conducting Orchestra and Composing Music
In a special period of my career, I decided to compose music for the Cinema.
I taught the credit of “Film Music” at the Faculty of Cinema, University of Art.
One of my students at the Music Conservatory was Mr. Zhakan’s sister and he knew that I was
her sister’s instructor so he suggested me to write a score for his film.
There was a good feedback. The film named “the Mare” by Mr. Zhakan
(director, script write, actor, producer).
It was a chance of mine that I won the “Music Award” for the music of this film.
“the Mare” by Ali Zhakan. Music by Sharif Lotfi (1364/1985)
By making film music, the composer seeks the musical atmosphere of the film location
to cover the musical elements based on the location.
The location of the film “the Mare” was in Mazandaran (North of Iran).
Music of Mazandaran is not developed enough.
So, I had to compose based on this location to set it with the musical elements in
such a way that the music would match the frames of the film.
“the Mare” a film documentary by Ali Zhakan. Music by Sharif Lotfi (1364/1985)
The girl had a special personage in this documentary film. So,
I composed a special theme for each sequence where the girl or other girls casted.
Therefore, they would be introduced either by musical theme or by the sequence in the film.
I didn’t accept to compose for every film suggested to me. First I watched some rushes
(not-edited versions of the film), then I decided to compose for that film or not
After my first experience for the film “the Mare”, I made 15 other music films
“the Jasmine Aroma” a TV serial by Mr. Bahman Zarrinpoor. Music by Sharif Lotfi (1369/1990)
Producing a film or serial is a kind of team work i.e. a team
including director, editor, actors, actresses and composer.
So, it is like a puzzle that is made and completed by many pieces.
Therefore, we would have a nice perfect outcome of this team-work process
I would be always present at the studio for final recording of the music I’ve written for a film;
sometimes I asked them to turn down the music.
They became surprised of my words. They explained that other composers have asked
them to turn it up because they felt that their music wouldn’t be heard
The same problem would also occur for other artistic fields
Talking about the music, we would develop such a thought framework
in creation of the Iranian music.
The outcome will be a greater approach in
art as the western countries reached during many years
It is a first step that should be continued by experiences.
“Raana” (a female name) a TV serial by Mr. Davood Mirbagheri. Music by Sharif Lotfi (1368/1989)
I was invited on behalf of Bahman Cultural Center to conduct the orchestra had been formed there.
Many concerts had been performed there and the pieces belonged to
both the Iranian composers and the foreign ones
Many of the soloists performed at those concerts, whether in accompany with
the orchestra or in solo part; Mrs. Novin Afrooz (pianist) and Mr. Khachik Babayan
(Iranian-American violinist).
There were great concerts. When Mr. Behrooz Gharib Poor (director, playwright)
left his post as the head of Bahman Cultural Center,
I didn’t continue working with Bahman Cultural Center orchestra as the conductor.
Symphonic Orchestra at Bahman Cultural Center, conducted by Sharif Lotfi
Ebrahim Lotfi First Soloist – violinist; Maziar Zahir-o-Dini, Second Soloist – violinist
There are two aspects for performing on the stage.
One aspect is music appearance that occurs on the stage and
you should do your best to convey the complete idea of the composer by your performance.
I bear this responsibility all the time. The conductor is responsible for the
final outcome of much practicing and many discourses between the conductor and
the performersI bear this responsibility all the time.
The conductor is responsible for the final outcome of much practicing and many
discourses between the conductor and the performers
The final outcome would be appeared on the stage by
the movement of the baton in the hand of the conductor
The performers should follow the movement of
the baton but it is not the baton which lead the orchestra
; it is the conductor who leads them. The conductor sends his/her messages by the baton
and the orchestra have to obey and follow that.
The performers are of different educations, cultures, morale, moralities,
and emotions; it is a difficult task to join them all in a group
cooperate with them as a group and rehearse as a music band. This is what the conductor does!
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
I have done lots of other tasks as well. For composing music,
you should know enough information to do it well.
Composing and conducting are somehow similar to each other in some ways. In composing,
you should know well about the principles of music composition and orchestration
In conducting, you should know the partitura reading (sheet music of the whole piece).
If you do your best to get the complete knowledge and education in music,
you can do different tasks in music
That’s why I could be active both in composing and
conducting. But I never let the others call me a composer because
I am a conductor and a pedagogist. Mr. Fakhreddin Anvar, the engineer,
was one of the founders of City Book (a non-profit institute,
active in selling and publishing books and other cultural products e.g. CDs, DVDs)
I never asked him to be my sponsor to produce my album. I know myself as a pedagogist.
I always wish to introduce myself as a pedagogist but it is a difficult task because
many in Iran do not know about pedagogy and a pedagogist.
They consider the pedagogist as a music teacher only. But it is not true
A good perfect performer, for example, cannot be a good teacher, too.
So, teaching music and pedagogy are two different subjects.
I have decided severely to introduce the pedagogy to the music society.
Part 07
Imagination, Visualization, Creativity, Music
I consider “imagination” and “visualization” as two different matters.
Whatever you visualize roots in your active imagination;
any ambiguity roots in your passive imagination
The common sense is the feature of the human being that
helps us to visualize all our memories as thealive matters.
We cannot visualize the matters which do not exist in our memories
That’s why we need to know about various subjects to gain extreme viewpoint.
There is a Persian proverb says “he that travels far knows much.”
Whatever our mind gains are based on the information saved in our memories.
This is in a close relation with creativity.
We can compose our music in case of the extreme viewpoint gained by our world view
and the different perspectives we send to the brain through our senses.
The brain keeps them in its memories box. The more effective these perspectives are,
the more time they last.
Using the active imagination means the matters we
visualize and we can cause them to appear based on the different aspects of art including
composing music
We can reach our goal during this process by knowledge,
consciousness, information and the conceptions we receive through intellectual and
emotional matters.
We would perceive the divine love in case we would feel the humane love
Using passive imagination leads to the madness because there is no direct control by the brain
during that process. Hence
we need to let the students know about the consciousness, so, they would learn
learn how to use their active imagination rather than the passive one; therefore, they
can pass this mental stage, not to stop there
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
The imagination or dream is not merely an
intellectual or a thinking process
It benefits from the emotional matters that we experienced
We should be able to justify and defend logically whatever we do.
We are not allowed to make or produce something without any reasonable basis
God has not created us accidentally so we should not develop our creativity based on
some accidental thoughts.
We act under the control of our mind and also our emotion to develop the creativity.
Using imagination to create our works is a
process directed by both the intellectuality and the emotion
Any piece of music can be performed by a
person without musicality or the principles of performance
There is a usual definition about the role of heart in playing
music i.e. you should obey your heart to
perform well and perfect.
The matter of “heart” is a repeating subject
in our musical discourses.
We have no exact definition of “heart”.
There is an ambiguity of this in our mind and, unfortunately,
we justify and defend our artistic works according to this
ambiguous definition of “heart”.
We should be able to defend justifiably whatever we do, write or compose
This ambiguous definition of “heart” is
not enough to justify our works
To defend our works justifiably, we have to know exactly that the
creativity originates from the active imagination. Then,
it would visualize in the mind and, finally,
causes to appear as a concrete reality
This final work is rather different musically while perceiving and performing.
Whatever a sculpture made is being inferred based on its material and on what the others see
the inferences may be different from each
other. But it is not the same story for the music because there may be many changes
in its exposition
Whatever a sculpture made is the exact thing you see, not any more.
No one can make any change in it but it is a different story for the music
These are some various points related to the subject of imagination and its role in visualization
the importance of imagination for music exposition and what the listener perceives
via the mediums and relations, differently.
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and
conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
I severely believe that the music is a means
of evolution for the human
This evolution would be effective in both aspects of intellect and emotion. So
it is a valuable matter. Schopenhauer said two sentences about music:
“Music is on top of all the other arts.” “other arts wish to reach the level of Music.”
but we have not to pay attention to these kinds of sentences because he had said these
sentences in a sly manner
We would do our best for music if we believe that it is such a
powerful art leads to morality
This is the only reason that made me continue my career in
music, the whole my life
If I were born again, I would definitely
choose the music course again
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and
conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
My intellectual sight has been improved by the music. Music
always helps me in doing my task, both through emotional and intellectual processes.
A great outcome for me is an interaction between these two processes; an
agreeable interaction
No balance between intellect and emotion,
no evolution. I really believe it.
In case of any outburst for one of them, this balance would disappear and,
finally, there would be no evolution
Mrs. Nasrin Abdollah-zade
His first son:
His first son: Dr. Ali Lotfi, Faculty Member at Shahid Beheshti University
His second son: Dr. Aslan Lotfi, Ph.D student in Management at the University of Iowa
The biggest problem for music in Iran is that we do not know whether the music art
is going to die in Iranor it is going to stay alive.
During these 40 years I have come back to Iran, we had to stand
and continue with such a disaster
We, as the musician, used to believe using
great words for music – we would do our best to save these great words for music
We are looking forward to a better situation for music
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
I believe that there is a close relationship between the music
and the medicine in recent years. Therefore
I could found the Iranian Music Therapy Association in cooperation with Dr.
\Ashayeri and Dr. Alizade Mohammadi
Music therapy is an academic course that
shows a close relation between music and medical treatment
; we as teachers would point to this relation in teaching music.
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder
and conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
Part 08
Iranian Music
Iranian Music is arranged by the Family of Farahani at Ghajar
Era (1789-1925), called Radif (the notes arrangement) and they also presented Radif
and Radif Performing.
picture: Family of Farahani, the Great Family presenting Iranian Traditional Music (Dastgah)
This family did not know about the musical knowledge
They claimed that there were some
details that could not be written, so, they presented Radif orally because that was the
best comprehensive way
Little by little, we accepted to write Radif on staff including all
the details, as the method of writing classical music in West
They claimed that there were some
details that could not be written, so, they presented Radif orally because that was the
best comprehensive way
Now, we use the written musical knowledge for Iranian Music, therefore,
Radif was written. I believe that this written Radif is the
comprehensive one and we do not need to teach it just orally.
You cannot find all the details written in a piece of music by Beethoven
Some materials in music could be written
including rhythm, interval, tempo dynamics, and agogic
There are also some materials unwritten including the ways of
performing a piece of music that we present to the trainees
in the class. That’s why we see the different performances of a
same piece of music. As some Iranian Music teachers did not know
about musical knowledge, they used to choose a tone as a center and played
some other notes around it to show the tonality.
Now, we do not need to teach in such a way.
We can use the key signatures to understand the tonality and the modality
Any changes in musical materials are completely clear on a
written piece of music. But there are still unsolved problems in writing Iranian Music
because of lack of high great academies.
We have received the heritage of Iranian Music by the masters called “narrator” who
presented the Radif, orally.
Tar solo-playing, Ali-Akbar Shahnazi (musician, virtuoso in Tar)
The problem in teaching Radif orally was that the music
masters had to teach it to one trainee and s/he told it to another performer and
and so on. So, the Radif was transferred individually
Therefore, the individuality was an important matter in teaching and
transferring Radif because the music masters had to teach the trainees one by one
There was a doubt about Iranian Music that it was an individual one-tone music.
What was the goal of such a method? Teaching Iranian Music Dastgah or its marginal notes?
The goal was to teach the musical events based on the notes
and the tones, but not in written form
This method was always doubtful because we have used such a method for many years.
We, permanently, have thought that we can do nothing with this heritage of Iranian
Music (Radif) but performing it individually. Hence,
we concluded that our Iranian Music is an individual-performing
form. But it is not true because there are many various folk
forms of Iranian Music performed at different districts in Iran by groups of performers.
This dogmatism toward Iranian Music
has blocked it to reach better levels to satisfy different tastes of the listeners
We should be allowed to reform this valuable heritage of music to
develop it variously to remove the monotonous bearing for years.
String Quartet, “Chahargan” composed by Dr. Sharif Lotfi
Keykhosro Mokhtari, Ehsan Zabihi-Far (Kamanche: Iranian bowed string instrument)
The authorities at universities and music centers decided to develop Iranian Music
; well, it should be happened many years ago
The Music Conservatory had been established for a long
time – on first years at Pahlavi Era (a century ago).
This renaissance at universities and music centers was a start for Iranian Music development.
Rehearsal Class at Orchestra Department at the University of Art,
Iranian Music Performers, M.A.
The young will make the future so we should pay much attention to them to help and
and empower them to have successful and optimized action to make the future.
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
The first pieces of polyphony had been written about 800 years ago in West.
Then, the western musicians have developed their works
searched in music, performed the pieces of music, produced
works in music and
and even created schools of music
(Baroque, Classic, Romantic, Contemporary) without any time gap
Our time gap in music is related to the bad events happened for music during the
kingdom of Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736) in Iran. This is our huge time gap in music in Iran
We, permanently, have explained to the trainees and the
students about this threat of tradition and modernity.
We have passed the time only, not to optimize it for music.
We have received this heritage of Iranian Music as a tradition.
Nowadays, we have encountered with the modernity, without the necessary perfect
background in music
There is no complete organology about Iranian instruments. Nothing!
The Iranian instruments are not developed enough in different registers. Well,
we have to make the new ones based on the old ones.
For example, the instrument makers have made the bass Kanakche
, alto and bass Ghichak. So, it is possible to change the
old instruments to develop them. We can develop the old instruments or make the new ones
But we do not need to make the new instruments – enough just to develop the old ones.
Western musicians passed a true way in music, whether in
composing great pieces or in developing organology.
It is better for us to learn their method to
work on our instruments.
Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra, founder and
conductor Dr. Sharif Lotfi
Iranian Music should be formed and introduced by Iranian instruments
This is the Iranian Traditional Music, including Iranian
instruments and the tone of Iranian Music (Dastgah).
Unfortunately, the Iranian Music cannot be performed widely
around the world because our instruments are not well introduced to the world
At western countries, you can easily find the
Violin and also the violin teacher – it is completely normal there.
Western musical thoughts are well introduced to the world by such an instrument
To introduce our music to the world, we have to know the Iranian instruments well and
also the rule to orchestrate them. For orchestration,
we should try to match various range of Iranian instruments in different registers
Some composers would do such a task based on their
knowledge of Iranian Music to introduce Iranian Music to the world.
Rehearse for the Album of “Symphonic Plans”, by Ahmad Prjman
(Iranian musician and composer), Austria
Another matter in music that we should
analyze is pop music and the young’s tendency to listen to it
The young are high in energy and potentiality
Unfortunately, we do not support them with the music suitable for them.
We did nothing special with our heritage of Iranian Music.
We could make modern music based on Radif and Dastgah, suitable for the young
Imagine that a young person does not like Sangak (a kind of Iranian bread).
Well, we should use the dough of Sangak to bake Baguette for
him/her because s/he likes eating sandwich – an example to make Iranian Traditional
Music suitable for the young
The young prefer the western and pop music rather than the
Iranian Music because they wish to use their internal power and energy
Little by little, the experts in music found out that there is a disaster happening in Iran because
most Iranian would listen to the western and pop music rather than our traditional Music.
By such a way, the Iranian may forget the traditional music gradually.
Well, this is a basic reason of introducing pop music to the
Iranian including its various branches.
We had to bake Baguette from our Sangak dough
(Traditional Music) but we gave the young the western Baguette (pop music),
instead. That was another problem the experts in music found out – a wrong way toward music
We decided to support the singers active in Iranian
Traditional Music, according to the special policies of our country.
and base on the science and knowledge of music;
unfortunately, nobody listen to them as the experts.
It is of my wish to see the comprehensive academic method of
teaching and learning music in Iran, till I am alive
This lack of a proper method in music really annoys me.
Even the experts in music would not accept each other
I wish to stay alive to see that these problems in music
would be solved, a great event in music in Iran