Hushang Zarif

Zarif, Hushang (1937-).

Tar instrumentalist and one of the outstanding teachers of the classical tar (1959-2009). He studied with Musa Ma‘rufi and ‘Ali Akbar Shahnazi at the National Academy of Music under the directorship of Ruhu’llah Khaliqi. Making his debut in 1958, he performed in orchestras affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Art, and with National Iranian Television. Numerous solo albums of his have been released in Iran and abroad in the form of gramophone records, cassettes, and CDs. He reached the zenith of his powers as a performer in accompanying various Persian instruments in the orchestra conducted by Faramarz Payvar (1968-1978). He is not well-known for his performances in the Golha programmes, though he did perform in the Golha Taza in the 1970s under the directorship of Hushang Ibtihaj. Although in these programmes, he rarely performed as a soloist, the sound of his tar can often be heard in the orchestra. From the 1979 revolution onward, he pursued his work as an instrumentalist and also as an instructor in schools and universities. He is esteemed in Iranian musical circles as a classical instrumentalist possessing highly cultured and artistic talents and refined personal moral values. His students include Ashkan Ghafuri and Husayn ‘Alizadeh. His works include the album titled Isfahan-Dashti (Tehran: Kanun 1356/1977) and his books include Radif Rastpanjgah (Tehran: Mahur 1992).