In Memoriam | Mohammad-Reza Shajarian | 1940 - 2020

MOHAMMAD-REZA SHAJARIAN
1940 - 2020
With deep regret and sorrow, today, we learned about the passing of the great master Mohammad-Reza Shajarian.

Master Shajarian was an iconic Iranian vocalist known to Iranians as the "Khosrow-e Avaz-e Iran" (King of Iran’s Vocals). He was born in Mashad, Iran, and started singing at the age of five; he started his career in 1959 at Radio Khorasan, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct singing style. He is recognized worldwide as a renowned vocalist known for his impeccable skill and undisputed master of the challenging traditional Persian "Dastgah" style.

In 1999, UNESCO presented him with the Picasso Award and in 2006 with the UNESCO Mozart Medal. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards for “Best Traditional World Music Album” in 2003 and 2005. National Public Radio (NPR) hailed him as one of the “50 Great Voices of all time,” and in 2017, he was called the "Greatest living maestro of Persian classical music" by The Los Angeles Times.

Master Shajarian’s legacy and voice will last for eternity; his tremendous impact has and will be instrumental in the world of music.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire Farhang Foundation family, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and millions of fans around the world, and we mourn his loss.