Nace en 1950 en Shahsavar. Trabaja la voz con su padre; figura fundamental en su educación musical. Fue alentada a participar en varios concursos musicales donde encontró a su maestro, Mahmood Karimi quien le enseñó las bases de la música Persa (Dastgah y Radif) y la presentó al Ministerio de Cultura y Arte para actuaciones profesionales. Colabora con el Estado durante 5 años, cantando en festivales tanto de Irán como del extranjero para presentar la tradición musical persa.

En 1973, empieza a trabajar en el Centro de Conservación y Difusión de la Música fundado y dirigido por Dr. Daryoosh Safvat, y continua dando conciertos por todo Europa. Durante estos años se concentra en la interpretación de antiguas canciones populares y tradicionales bajo la dirección del maestro Davami. Sus actuaciones en este período tuvieron lugar en el Festival de Arte de Shiraz, la Television Iraní, la Universidad de Teheran, Bagh Ferdows Hall, City Theatre y el Festival de Artes Tradicionales Asiáticos organizado en Japón.

Tras la Revolución de 1978-1979, a causa de disturbios políticos en los asuntos musicales, tuvo que parar sus actividades culturales. Sin embargo, en 1980, el Centro de Conservación y Difusión de la Música la solicita de nuevo para dar clases de canto persa para mujeres (anteriormente no se permitía que las mujeres tuvieran actividades musicales y sobre todo que cantasen), proposición que acepta encantada. Trabaja con ellos hasta 1995, año en que, por primera vez desde el principió de la Revolución, decide marcharse de su país para actuar en varios países de Europa, donde es unánimemente aclamada. A su vuelta, deja de trabajar con el Centro de Conservación y Difusión de Música para comenzar a impartir clases privadas de música y para poder viajar y cantar por todo el mundo.

PARISSA

Fatemeh Vaezi, who later on picked the artistic name of Parissa, was born on March 16, 1950 in Iran. After finishing the high school, with emphasis on Persian Literature, she started her musical work under the supervision of the renowned Persian Radif teacher, Mahmoud Karimi, with whom she studied for ten years. Karimi was one of the masters of vocal Radif and during her 16 years of apprenticeship, he offered his entire repertoire of vocal Radif.

Two years through her pupilage, she was invited by the Ministry of Culture to work in the National Radio and Television Broadcasting. Her unique outlook and solid discipline obtained her special recognition among Iranian musicians and intellectuals during her five years collaboration with the Ministry of Culture.

Parissa’s musical talent truly bloomed when she was introduced to «The Iranian Center for Preservation and Dissemination of Music». Her recordings of this period show a tremendous depth and growth in her musical understanding. After the Iranian revolution, this conservatory was abolished and she continued her education in private lessons with the Karimi.

In recent years, Parissa has been successfully concentrating on teaching and guiding young talents. Since 1995, she has been performing in collaboration with different musicians in various festivals and concerts around the world. Parissa currently lives in Tehran, Iran.

Karimi once commented: “Parissa is my most promising pupil and she can sing all the modes with the skill of re-interpretation or improvisation necessary to correctly perform Iranian music”.

IMAN VAZIRI

Iman Vaziri (1970) has learned Tar playing by Iranian famous masters, having different attitudes and approaches, in Tehran the decades of 1980 and 1990. While spending many years in grasping and practicing various styles of outstanding traditional musicians, he has been educated in Iran and Germany in the fields of Iranian and Classical Music.

His main and distinguished characteristic is possessing on extensive repertoire namely Radif knowledge and also a comprehensive collection of traditional artists interpretations, including vocal, Violin, Ney, Tar and Setar.

Some of his works in the fields of Iranian music interpretation, Composition for western instruments and Iranian music trainings have previously been published in Iran.  Iman currently leaves in Tehran, Iran.

DARA AFRAZ

Dara Afraz (1984), born into musical family in Tehran. He started his musical education by learning Tombak and Tar at the age of 8 under supervision of his mother Parissa.  He started his Tombak training with Amir Samadi. Later he benefited from guidance of Mahmood Farahmand and continued the advance training with Daryoosh Eshaghi. At the age of 14 he started to play Daf after learning the basic techniques from his sister. At the age 16 he played Daf in his first official performance with her mother in Queen Elizabeth hall of London.

Some of his previous activities are: Playing Daf in the festival Voix Sacrees du Monde (World Sacred Voices), Laussane; Playing handmade percussions in Arghanoon Suit (Guitar & Percussions) Rudaki Hall, Tehran; Playing Daf and handmade percussions in musical event called “Him”  (Theatre & Music), Niavaran Place, Tehran; Playing Daf in album Parvaneh, (Tar & Daf), Tehran; Playing Daf in annual concerts of Avaye Nik Institute of Music called “A night with Setar & Daf”, Tehran; Teaching since 2003.

Dara recently has moved to Los Angeles and continues his education in multimedia designs.