The santour, a traditional Persian instrument, is a three-octave wooden hammer dulcimer. To learn the classical Persian repertoire of the santour, musicians study the radif, a collection of musical pieces organized into twelve modal systems and played in a specific order. As a teaching model, the radif permits the student to learn the repertory of melodic types, technique, classical style, aesthetic principles and rules of composition and improvisation. Master musician Mahshid Mizadeh began her studies at age ten at the Tehran Music Conservatory and studied with the Grand Master Framarz Payevan, among others. Her apprentice Samira Sahebi, who has been playing the santour for a few years, will use this opportunity to improve her technique and increase her knowledge of the traditional repertoire.
More about Mahshid Mirzadeh
| Mahshid prepares for the session that she will have with her apprentice Samira by checking to see if the 72-string santour is in tune. Each of the eighteen moveable bridges supports four strings tuned to the same note. |
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Mahshid demonstrates an exercise for developing correct technique in holding the hammers and striking the strings. |
| The hammers of the santour are carved from a single piece of wood about 8 or 9 inches long and are quite delicate. Padded heads produce a more muted sound, while those that are simply wood produce a bolder, louder sound. |
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Mahshid Mirzadeh (left), master, and Samira Sahebi (right), apprentice |
ACTA Archives, photos ©Mary MacGregor-Villarreal
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