Dariush (Daryush) Safvat (داريوش صفوت) (b. 1928) is an internationally renowned and well-respected Persian music master and ethnomusicologist. Along with Nur-Ali Borumand, Dr. Safvat was the co-founder and a former director of the Center for Preservation and Propagation of Iranian Music. Some credit Dr. Safvat with saving traditional music from obliteration in the 1970's. The Center counts among its graduates some of the most prolific and admired masters of classical Persian music, including Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Hossein Alizadeh, Hossein Omoumi, Parisa, the late Nasser Farhangfar, Dariush Talai, Majid Kiani and Mahmoud Farahmand.

Biography

Dr. Safvat was born on November 28, 1928 in Tehran, Persia (present-day Iran). He received a B.A. in Law from the University of Tehran in 1953 and a Ph.D. in International Law from the Paris School of Law (France) in 1965. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has held many key posts in academia and the music scene. He is currently a Fellow at The Academy of Sciences of IR Iran.

Music

Dr. Safvat is best known for his mastery of Setar and Santour. He began learning to play the Setar at an early age from his father, Ali Asghar Safvat, who also played the ancient instrument. Among others, Dr. Safvat studied with two other Masters of Persian classical music, Abolhasan Saba and Haj Agha Mohammad Irani. He is credited with having taught some of the most talented Iranian musicians of the 20th century in Iran. However Dr safvat himself claims the person who had the most influence on his life and music was Ostad Elahi a persian judge, philsopher theologian and master musician.

Dr. Safvat has published a number of books and articles in Persian, French and English, and has produced a large number of recordings. But what is most remarkable is the degree to which his humanity, piety and integrity have made him popular among both the music elite and the masses alike.

In March 2005, he received "Ordre des Arts et des Lettres" granted by the French government.

Notes

External links

• The Academy of Sciences of IR Iran
• IranMelody.net
• Iran Newspaper
• Persian Art Music
• Persian (Iranian) Dance & Music