The unveiling ceremony was organized during the closing ceremony of the 12th Woodwork Exhibition at Tehran’s Niavaran Culture Center.

The instrument takes its name from the first letters of the artist’s full name who is an expert in making the tar and setar, two Iranian stringed instruments. Moraj is a three-string instrument like a fiddle, played with the fingers.

Ildar-Jaleh said that he has been spending years repairing musical instruments, adding, “I have repaired over 4000 instruments and have good knowledge about them, and I have tried to remove the deficiencies and other problems I have faced in the instruments in my new moraj,” he said.

He said that he loves his country and wants to introduce Iran and Iranian culture to the world with new sounds through new instruments.

Speaking at the ceremony, Abdolmajid Sharifzadeh, an official of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, said that handicrafts are practical products that enjoy creativity and uniqueness.

He said that the group has made its efforts to preserve and revive traditional arts in different arenas including music, ritual plays and other related arts, and added, “Carrying out research in different fields of traditional arts is among the activities of the group.”

He said that the types of art related to wood enjoy great variety in the country.

“Making musical instruments is also one of the traditional arts related to wood. We have not had a big change in the art of instrument making, but we hope there will be a big change in this field,” he said.

Inventing new musical instruments can help preserve traditional art and add a new sound to the previous instruments. 

Sarvar Bakhti, the president of the ECO Cultural Institute, also present at the ceremony, said that the art and culture of Iran is a hope for life and that cultural ceremonies are needed for society these days. 

Pointing to the new instrument, he said the art of Ildar-Jaleh is also refreshing and pleasing.

He said that the world should know that this part of the world enjoys such valuable and impressive arts.

A large collection of wood artworks in the forms of intarsia, marquetry, wood turning, lattice work, inlay and bas-reliefs, all created by Iranian artists, went on view at the exhibition.   

The Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT) was the main organizer of the showcase.

Source:Tehran Times