ABOUT

Ehsān Zabihifar
Kamāncheh & Gheychak Player & Persian Composer
Born 1979, Tehrān
Qualifications
  • High school diploma from The Music Conservatory, 1997
  • BA in music from the faculty of music, Art University, 2003
  • MA in Persian music performance from Art University, 2007
  • Learning the kamāncheh from Mr. Ardeshir Kāmkār since 1995
  • Learning the fundamentals of music, as well as the basics of performance and composition from Mr. Sharif Lotfi, 1998-2009
  • Learning theoretical and practical sciences of music in different periods with Mr. Vartan Sahakian, Mohsen Elhamian, Houshang Kamkar, Dariush Talaei, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Sasan Fatemi and Hooman Asadi
Activities
  • Music performer and the head of Mahtāb (Persian music ensemble) since 1996
  • Forming Chārgān (Persian String Quartet) together with Hāmed Afshāri, 2007
Composing and releasing the Albums:
  • Sāyeh-Roshan-e Mahtāb (Moonlight Shading) with Bizhan Kāmkār and Najmeh Tajaddod on vocals
  • Hich Magu (Say Nothing) with Mojtabā Asgari on vocals
  • Abru-Kamān with Mohammad Motamedi on vocals
  • Revayat-e Abuata (The Narration of Abuata) as the Kamancheh Improvisation
  • Chārgān I; Collection of pieces with Chārgān ensemble as “persian string quartet”
  • Chārgān II; Bayāt-e Esfahān with Chārgān ensemble as “persian string quartet”
  • An Rooz-hā (Those Days) with Fereydoun Purrezā, Bahrām Bājelān, Mojtabā Asgari and Vahid Tādj on vocals
  • Sarkhāneh along with a group of composers (in the style of old Persian composition, based on an idea by Sāsān Fāţemi)
  • Cooperation with the ensemble Abdolqāder in the Showqnāmeh (On Enthusiasm) collection (recomposing and performing pieces ascribed to ‘Abdolqāder Marāqi) led by Mohammad Rezā Darvishi
  • Cooperation with the Rahāvi ensemble in the collection Rahāvi (a practical comparison between Persian and Turkish music) by Sānāz Nakhjavāni
  • Winning the first place in Mugam Festival 2013 in Azerbaijan (competition and vocal section with Nasim Tarb ensemble and sung by Mojtaba Asgari
  • Received a statuette and a plaque of appreciation as the top composer for the album “Hich Mago” at the Music House Celebration in 2016
Teaching
  • The member of faculty at University of Arts, department of music
  • Teaching at the Dayereh Music Center and the Tehran Music Conservatory
Research activities
  • Bachelor’s thesis in music entitled “Two pieces for the Iranian instrumental group” under the guidance of Mohammad Reza Darvishi
  • Master Thesis in Persian Music entitled “Basic Principles of Fiddle Practice” under the guidance of Ardeshir Kamkar
  • Supervisor of a research project entitled “Study of technical and acoustic characteristics of the fiddle and its problems in playing in order to eliminate structural defects” in Tehran University of Arts from 2010 to 2013
  • Presentation of a seminar at the “Kamanche Symposium” entitled “An educational approach to learning Kamanche” at the Technical University of Turkey in 2010
  • Submitting specialized articles in various domestic and foreign journals
Books in progress
  • The book “Forty Etudes for kamancheh”
  • The book “Fundamentals of kamancheh Practice”
  • The book “Deldar” (a collection of pieces in dastgah e Homayoun for Iranian instruments)
  • The book “Shogh” (a collection of parts in dastgah e segah instrument for the Iranian instruments ensemble)
  • The book “kamancheh” in three volumes (for music conservatory)
  • The book “Ten Pieces for the Fiddle” (the first volume of a collection of Iranian classical music for the kamanche)
  • The book “Radif of Iranian music for kamancheh” (Master Abolhassan Saba’s Radif)