Bijan Kamkar Information

Bijan Kamkar (born December,18,1949) Iranian eminent contemporary singer, music player, and composer Childhood His father was an army officer and when he was missioned to Ormiyeh (one of the cities of Western Azerbaijan) Bijan was born there, but after his family returned to Sanandaj, a Kurdish city located in the west of Iran, he grown up in Sanandaj. Bijan from childhood was trained under the supervision of his father Hassan Kamkar who was the superintendent of Army music and also was managing various free music classes and leading the group of Sanandaj Radio. The first Bijan Professional experience in the field of music was playing drum, melodica, and Persian lute in the children programs of Sanandaj Radio and Television. He was able to play various instruments, due to the fact that attachment to music in the Kamkar family was something that was inherited from a generation to the next generation, in such a way that all his 8 siblings are among the most outstanding music players in Iran. Educations Bijan Kamkar after completing the course of high school in 1974 was accepted into the Fine Art Faculty of Tehran University. In university, he followed to learn his special music instrument (tar) academically. Professional Activities In 1969 Kamkar became familiar with Mohammad Reza Lotfi. As Bijan himself says this familiarity was a turning point in his life, due to the fact that Lotfi a strong surrogate for his father placed the deepest impression upon him as a music player. Lotfi led him to join the Sheyda Group as a drum player, after a while, Bijan joined the Aref Group. Among other groups that Bijan has joined one can refer to Chavoosh, Dastan, and Tanbor-e-Shams. At length in 1988, the household of Kamkar founded a group called the Kamkar Group. From the very beginning of its establishment, the Group was active in various domestic and foreign festivals especially through performing Kurdish concerts. Achievements Perhaps the greatest achievement of Kamkar in Iran music is introducing the tambourine in public performances which are regarded as one of the most important instruments of Iranian Music. Beforehand this instrument was only employed in Dervish religious ceremonies and Khaneqah (the place for the gathering of dervishes) Personal Life From his first marriage he had a daughter named Hanna. His second wife, Najma Tajadod, is a singer and a music player and cooperates with Kamkar Group. The fruit of their marriage is a son who is called Sohrab. Artistic Events Among his various performances in various countries of the world, the most important International Festival he has participated with his family are: • Womad Festival, England • Womad Festival, Abu Dhabi • Ray Orient Festival, Sweden • Living Fire Festival, England • Fallen, Festival, Sweden • Winnipeg Festival, Canada • Summer Stage Festival, New York • Timitar Festival, Morocco • Concert in UNSCO center, on the occasion of the Hafez millennium • Concert in the Noble Peace Prize Office in Norway