Gonabad, IRNA – Prominent Iranian dutar legend Osman Mohammadparast will stay alive in Iran’s art, especially music history, forever because of his services in maintaining and enriching the dutar instrument.
The great master passed away at the age of 94 in the city of Khaf, Khorasan Razavi Province, on May 19.
Director General of Islamic Culture and Guidance in Khaf city, Razavi Khorasan province, Ramazan-Ali Bayat told IRNA that Master Mohammadparast helped glorify culture and art in not only Khorasan but also in Iran.
The unique artist made all-out effort to present maqam music (Persian music style) in the country and throughout the world, Bayat noted.
Chairman of Music Association of Khaf Seifollah Varzideh told IRNA that thanks to his vigorous efforts, many youths have been interested in dutar instrument, and that people learned the style of music and performed it in artistic festivals in different countries in Asia and Europe.
In fact, Osman Mohammadparast should be commemorated as a representative of original culture of Khorasan and Iran at regional and international levels, Varzideh argued.
Mohammadparast kicked off playing the dutar instrument at the age of 10 and performed in different ceremonies both inside and outside Iran.
Director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Department Mahmoud Ba’aghideh emphasized that the late master is a treasure in maqam music, who was registered as intangible heritage of humanity.
In July 2020, the renowned musician was presented a copy of the certificate in Persian and English of the registration of Iran’s dutar on the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Mohammadparast cooperated with renowned Iranian singers, including Mohammad Reza Shajarian and Sharam Nazeri.
Farough Alizadeh, a musical artist, told IRNA that Master Mohammadparast spent almost the whole life in upgrading Iranian art and traditional music; so, the country’s culture and art owes to the virtuoso of maqam music.
This style of music should not be limited to provinces of Razavi Khorasan, as well as North and South Khorasan, or only to Iran, but maqam music should be introduced to the world as part of original Iranian culture, which has been worked on by great artists such as Mohammadparast, Alizadeh urged.
Osman Mohammadparast’s burial ceremony was held in Khaf on Friday, which was held by many fans and officials from the city.
Khaf in Razavi Khorasan province is a small border city in the Mashad-Herat railway, where 150,000 people are living in its four districts.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
