province (Photo by Mojtaba Mohammadi)

Spring blossoms in Gilan

Saket, Nazempour Plan Concert

Iranian celebrated tar virtuoso Keyvan Saket and oud virtuoso Majid Nazempour will give joint performances in Austria in March.
Tonbak player Ali-Akbar Khadem will also accompany them during the performances, which will be held in Vienna, Graz, and Eisenberg from March 3 to 8, Nazempour told Fars News Agency.
“In part of the concerts, we will perform some pieces I have recently composed,” Nazempour said.
A brief repertoire of world music pieces are slated to be performed during the concerts, he added.
Nazempour has previously performed in many concerts in Iran and abroad.
He gave performances at the 1st Gambus Conference and Festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in July 2012.
Nazempour is also a skilled instrument maker.
He remade several Iranian musical instruments, which had been forgotten over time, and donated the instruments to the Music Museum of Iran.
He also made an effort to recompose musical pieces that were performed on these instruments in Iran about a thousand years ago.

Tafreshipour Chosen For English Song Project

The Iranian composer Amir-Mahyar Tafreshipour is among ten musicians selected for the Aldeburgh English Song Project in England.
His arrangement for ‘Gatha’ is based on the Gathas: seventeen hymns composed by the Prophet Zarathushtra around 1200 BC, and will be performed during the project, which started in Aldeburgh on February 24 and runs until March 2.
Young singers and musicians are scheduled to work on and perform ‘Gatha’ and pieces by nine other musicians from around the world during master classes with British tenor Ian Bostridge at the Aldeburgh Festival.
The project has been organized to promote the Aldeburgh Festival, which was founded by the British composer, conductor, and pianist Benjamin Britten (1913–1976), according to Mehr News Agency.
Mostly arrangements of English texts, Britten’s songs, like their predecessors, defined a uniquely intense response to words.
This project is led by British composer John Woolrich, poet Lavinia Greenlaw and pianist Huw Watkins with input from singers including Richard Edgar Wilson.
The project will continue in 2014 and 2015 with new composers.

Review Sessions at Isfahan Book Fair

Six specialized sessions have been arranged for the 8th Isfahan Provincial Book Fair.
Speaking with IBNA, manager of the Isfahan Provincial Book Fair said that the first session was held on March 1 in the presence of Amir Hussein Bankipour, a university lecturer.
As Husseinali Sabzeh said, the second session is slated for March 2 with the theme of Resistance Economics in the presence of Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the scientific board of Isfahan University.
The third session is themed on Mahdism and false sects and will be held on March 3, in the presence of Hojjatoleslam Mohammad Emaminejad, Isfahan seminary professor.The book fair will close on March 5.

‘Heart Bigger Than the World’ In 4 Languages

Erfan Nazar-Ahari’s ‘A Heart Bigger Than the World’ will be released in four languages of English, Italian, French and Persian by IIDCYA.
In the Peace Festival held in South Korea in 2010 with the presence of 20 writers and 20 illustrators from 20 countries, Ali Bouzari and Erfan Nazar-Ahari, representatives from Iran, exhibited their work ‘A Heart Bigger Than the World’.
The book was produced in English and Korean and has not yet been released in Persian in Iran, IBNA wrote.
Nazar-Ahari said, “The story is about the birth of a child and journey through life that is illustrated by Ali Bouzari.”
The book is also translated to French and Italian. The Italian version is made by Hanieh Inanlou and edited by Professor Coretti, Italian cultural attaché in Iran. The French text is provided by Dr Afzal Vosouqi, professor of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and it is rendered into English by Noushafarin Ansari.
All these translations will be soon released by the Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults (IIDCYA).

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Presents Magnificent Clocks

Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Sales 2013 will highlight Magnificent Clocks From An Important Private Collection, to be offered in the inaugural evening session of the Important Watches sale taking place on 7 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.
The Collection comprises 22 lots, all custom-made over the past 30 years by world-renowned watchmakers and jewellers namely Cartier, Daniel Roth, Gerald Genta, Asprey and, predominantly, Patek Philippe.
Unique, preserved in pristine condition and fresh to the auction market, the entire Collection is estimated to achieve in excess of HK$35 million / US$4.5 million and will be exhibited from 4 to 22 March at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, 5th Floor, One Pacific Place, Admiralty, and from 3 to 7 April at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, ArtDaily said.
Tim Bourne, Worldwide Head of Watches, says, “This Spring, we will unveil hidden treasures to the world--an extraordinary collection of magnificent modern clocks by the world’s most prestigious watch and jewelry makers. Never has a collection of Patek Philippe clocks of comparable calibre appeared in the market, making this Collection extremely significant in contemporary clock design. Fresh to the market and attractively estimated, this tantalizing offering will enthral worldwide collectors. These stunning works of art certainly sing a tune in many people’s hearts and they are sure to find stately homes in many parts of the world.”

Warhol’s Rare Print on View

‘Sleep’ (1965), an exceptionally rare serigraph by Andy Warhol, one of the late-twentieth century’s most celebrated artists, is on view for the very first time at the National Gallery of Canada until May 1st 2013.
The print, given to the NGC in 2010 by Marla and Larry Wasser from Toronto, immortalizes a member of Warhol’s glamorous entourage, often known simply as “Warhol superstars.”
The work’s image is taken from Warhol’s earlier experimental film of the same name, which shows, for nearly five-and-a-half hours, the poet John Giorno sleeping. Sleep is one of only four related prints, and predates the artist’s larger and more popular editions of the late 1960s, AP said.
“We’re so pleased to share such an important work by Warhol with the public,” NGC Director and CEO, Marc Mayer said. “It’s a testament to our strong collection of American Pop art that Marla and Larry Wasser chose to donate the work to the National Gallery. A portrait of poet John Giorno, Sleep shows us a lesser-known aspect of Warhol’s art-making. Unlike his popular images of celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Jacqueline Kennedy, or even Wayne Gretzky, here Warhol shows real tenderness. We’re afforded a glimpse of Warhol as we don’t often see him.” “Sleep has had a very special place in our collection for many years,” explained Ms. and Mr. Wasser, “however, we always believed that such a historically important Warhol deserved to be seen by as large an audience as possible. As a result of our gift, visitors to the National Gallery will now have an opportunity to view this wonderful and rare work of art.”
Warhol likely made Sleep in preparation for a Plexiglas sculpture called Large Sleep (1965; Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh), which features two sequential images from the film arranged vertically.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

Kill not your hearts with excess of eating and drinking.