Born in 1969, Farshad Tavakoli studied fundamentals of Iranian music on Setar (1988) with Ali Khavarmanesh. He was then focused on learning Radif of Mirza Abdollah with Vahid Bassam for five years. Meantime he has dedicated much of his time to understand and revive authentic styles of Persian music by studying under Majid Kiani since 1991. In order to expand his knowledge on different aspects of music, Farshad finished his Bachelor of musicology from Faculty of Fine Arts of Tehran University in year 2000.
In his thesis, he explored new transcription methods to better represent ornaments and musical phrases within Persian repertoire. Farshad's main focus is to revive and master authentic styles of Setar with emphasis on master Abolhasan Saba styles of performance.
Artistic Activities
- First one in Setar playing course and memorizing of Radif of Mirza Abdollah in The first Music Festival of Universities Students of Iran, Tehran, April 1998.
- First one in researched articles part in The Second Music Festival of Universities Students of Iran, Tehran, March 1999.
- Performing music in more than 10 concerts.
- Articles in newspapers and specialized journals.
- Teaching music in different artistic and academic centers, as following:
Persian music Radif:
- Artistic Creations Center and Artistic Activities Office of Culture and Islamic Guidness Office of Semnan 1994 – 2000.
- Artistic Activities Office of Garmsar 1995 – 1996.
- Qotb e Ravandi College 1995 – 1999.
- Niavaran Palace Museum, Teaching Center, 1998 – 2000.
- Private Teaching, 1994 until now.
Theoretic courses in Soureh University: autumn 2002 until now, as following:
-Understanding of Old Music of Iran (1) & (2): Four units
-History of Persian Music: Two units
-Method of Research: Two units
-Analysis of Current Music: Two units
Understanding of Persian Music:
-Artistic Creations Center and Artistic Activities Office of Culture and Islamic Guidness Office of Semnan 1994 – 2000.
-Music summer term of IRIB, summer 2001.
-Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation (NACF), winter 2002: Explaining of second chapter of “Jame’ ol Alhan” by Abdolqader Maraghi.
-Away e Mehrabani Artistic Cultural Institute, summer 2004: Acquaintance with Persian music intervals.
Official Activities
- Regular member of Center of Preservation and Research of Persian Music (depended to IRIB), since 2000.
- Regular member of Researchers Department of Iran Music House, since 2002.
- Main member of administrative board of Researchers Department of Iran Music House, since 2004.
- Arbitrator of researched articles part in The Third Music Festival of Universities Students of Iran, Shiraz, March 2000.
- Member of editor-in-chief board of the journal of The Third Music Festival of Universities Students of Iran, Shiraz, March 2000.
- Member of researched board of The Fourth Music Festival of Universities Students of Iran, Tehran, March 2002.
- Head Secretary of Seminar in memorial of Abdolqader Maraghi, Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation (NACF), 15 & 16 January 2003.
- Scientific and managing advisor of International Festival of Santour. Niavaran Artistic Creations Foundation (NACF), 31 August until 3 September 2003.
- Arbitrator of Dastgah System Music of the First Music Festival of Clinical Universities Students of Iran, 8 February 2004.