Arfa Atrai
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Arfa Atrai is one of the Iran's most renowned masters of the santour. She was born in 1941 in Tehran. At the age of ten, Atrai entered the Persian National Music Conservatory and graduated with honors after seven years. Later on, she succeeded in obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Persian music. Hossein Saba, Mahmoud Zolfonoun, Hossein Tehrani and Ruhollah Khaleghi were among many masters from whom Atrai received her early education.
Atrai started her musical career in 1948 by playing the santour in the Persian Fine Arts Administration Orchestra conducted by Hossein Dehlavi and at the same time participated actively in the Orchestra of the Ministry of Culture and Arts which produced various musical performances for the Iran's National Radio and Television. Atrai played the santour with Saba orchestra on the opening night program of Iran's National TV in 1959. Soon after her graduation, Atrai started her teaching career. She has kept this career until now and teaches in girls' and boys' art schools, The National Music Conservatory, Azad University, and several other music institutes.
Atrai is the first Persian (Iranian) woman who has published books on the subject of music after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In the year 2000, she was awarded as one of the most famous women of Iran by the Center for Participation of Women and in 2005 she received the highest Art degree from the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry. She has also been awarded for several years by the same ministry as an Exemplary Teacher.
After being active in the field of music for 45 years, Arfa Atrai has worked with 3 generations of students and musicians. Today, her students are among the well-known musicians of Persia. Atrai has had more than 1000 concerts in her native Persia and around the world.
Arfa Atrai's first book by the name of "Persian Music Dictionary" was published in 1982. For many years this book was used as a University Entrance Examination reference book. Her second book, "Santour and Nezami" was published in 1995. It was the first published book about making a Persian musical instrument. "12 Maqams of Persian National Music", "Biography and Life of Habib Sama'i" and his works, "Booye Jooye Moolian; Musical Fables from Persia", and "Seven Dasrgahs of Persian Vocal Music" are among her other publications.
