Saeed Nayeb-Mohammadi
Born in Tehran in 1978, Saeed Nayeb-Mohammadi started his musical education in Soureh Music School and then continued his studies at Soureh University under prominent professors such as Hoseyn Behruzi-Niya and Arshad Tahmasbi. He traveled all the way to United Arab Emirates to take lessons from Salim Abdol-Karim, an ud master. His master class with Salim left a lasting and deep impression on his artistic life and playing, and gave him the technique, sensitivity and meticulous care needed for immaculate performances. He incorporated all this into established modes of playing Iranian traditional music.
Upon returning to Iran, he started composing pieces. His first album Fih-e ma Fih was a fusion of oriental and occidental music for the ud, cello and percussions. He has actively been cooperating with other Iranian musicians and composers and always kept an open mind to new ideas, more knowledge and ways to technical perfection.
Saeed owes his skills to his deep understanding of Iranian, Arab and Turkish schools of playing plucked string instruments. His careful approach to music and his technical skill have made him an outstanding musician whose performances are a merge of delight and technical perfection. A good example of this pleasing, pure and yet dynamic blend was what I experienced in the "International ud Festival" held in Oman in December 2006.
Saeed Nayeb-Mohammadi is amongst the rare musicians who has turned to ud, an instrument long neglected in Iran, and the revival of this interest solidifies the Arab, Iranian, Turkish ties as they should be.
This recording is proof of all the above-mentioned. Its picturesque qualities based on a spectrum of feelings blend expression and technique, tranquility and dynamism in a rich and exquisite performance which at times reaches pure mysticism.
Saeed Nayeb-Mohammadi is not merely an example of Iran's younger generation of musicians. His ambitions and curiosity has led him to discover new horizons and styles which establish a dialog between tradition and modernity, his style retains authenticity while making use of eclecticism, incorporating different schools and styles of ud playing all around since late 19th century into his performances. He has majestically given the ud its rightful status in Iranian music.