Vocalist Salar Aqili sings “Sun of the Orient” in memory of health workers died of COVID-19

TEHRAN –(Iranart)- Vocalist Salar Aqili has paid tribute to the health workers who died of COVID-19 by a single named “The Sun of the Orient”.

Composer Mehran Mehran-nia was commissioned by the Art and Cultural Organization of the Tehran Municipality to put a poem by Mohammad Abdolhosseini to music in this project.

Aqili is one of the few prolific Iranian musicians during the pandemic. He along with his ensemble went on stage at Tehran’s Vahdat Hall in July, performing to an empty auditorium during the pandemic.

“It is very difficult for me to give a concert without an audience. This is the first time I am doing this but I should say that the audience is always in my heart,” Aqili had said before his performance.

“Leave Me Free” was the first song he and his pianist wife Harir Shariatzadeh performed at the beginning of the concert, but they were later accompanied by other members of the ensemble in the next performances.

Wearing face masks, the musicians included Monika Loran, Ali Jafari-Puyan, Sohrab Barahmandi, Ehsan Shami and Fardin Lahurpur.

“My Homeland”, “What Can I Say”, “Find Me”, “I Stay Alone” and “Iran” were among the other songs performed at the concert.

Aqili also performed the song “Mother” and said, “I was supposed to perform this song at the Espinas Palace Hotel in Tehran in February, but the concert was halted due to the spread of coronavirus, and I hereby dedicate this song to all the mothers.” 
 
He also paid tribute to veteran actor Ali Nasirian for his role in the TV series “Dear Brother”, while he was singing “I Stay Alone”, the ending credit song of the TV series.

Vocalists Alireza Qorbani and Homayun Shajarian gave separate online concerts at Vahdat Hall in May.

Vahid Taj, Ali Zandevakili and Parvaz Homay, pianist Saman Ehteshami and tar virtuoso Keivan Saket were among other musicians who gave online concerts at Vahdat Hall due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

source: Tehran Times