TEHRAN -- Iranian composer and musician Hussein Alizadeh received Saturday the Ruhollah Khaleqi Medal at the opening of the fourth edition of the National Ruhollah Khaleqi Composition Award, held at the Tehran home of veteran composer and conductor Farhad Fakhreddini.
The ceremony, attended by musicians, members of the Khaleqi Iranian Instruments Orchestra and the award’s jury members, marked the opening of the latest edition of an initiative dedicated to the legacy of Ruhollah Khaleqi, one of Iran’s influential composers, conductors and music educators.
Alizadeh, whose career spans several decades, has played a major role in Iranian music as a composer, performer and educator, while advancing new approaches to the country’s musical traditions. The Ruhollah Khaleqi Medal is presented annually to an influential figure in Iranian music in recognition of a career in composition, performance and education.
Previous recipients include Fakhreddini and composer and researcher Mohammad-Reza Fayyaz. The decision to hold this year’s opening at Fakhreddini’s home gave the ceremony a particular significance, as Fakhreddini himself received the medal in a previous edition.
The ceremony also featured a performance by members of the Khaleqi Iranian Instruments
Orchestra, linking the work and experience of established musicians with opportunities for younger performers. The official poster for the fourth edition was unveiled at the close of the event.
The National Ruhollah Khaleqi Composition Award, directed by Mhammad-Reza Azizi, was established to support young composers, identify emerging talent and create opportunities for professional activity in Iranian music.
Alongside its competition and research sections, the Khaleqi Iranian Instruments Orchestra provides young musicians with opportunities for training, performance and collaborative work.
The award also seeks to preserve and promote Khaleqi’s musical legacy, encourage the creation of original and innovative compositions drawing on the resources of Iranian music, raise the artistic and academic standards of composition, and foster exchange among composers, researchers, teachers and cultural institutions.
The fourth edition’s composition jury comprises Shahram Tavakoli, Pouya Saraei, Saeed Farajpouri, Ali-Akbar Ghorbani, Arash Goran and Keyvan Saket. The research section is being judged by Babak Khazraei, Seyyed-Hussein Meysami and Pouya Saraei.
The call for submissions for the fourth edition was issued in August, with composers and researchers able to submit their works through the award’s website until October 23, 2026.
Founded in 2022 alongside the Khaleqi Iranian Instruments Orchestra, the award is intended to carry forward Khaleqi’s musical heritage while creating a platform for new composition and strengthening Iranian orchestral music.