Mohammad Reza Mortazavi

Running time: 90 min

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi – tombak, daf

Mohammad Reza Mortazavi, born in 1979, just two months after the Iranian Revolution, is widely regarded as one of the foremost masters of the traditional Persian drums tombak and daf. He began learning the tombak at the age of six, and by nine had already surpassed the bounds of his teacher’s guidance, winning the national Iranian tombak competition – a title he would go on to claim six more times. By his early twenties, Mortazavi had established himself as a leading Iranian percussionist. Since then, his music has continued to evolve, embracing new forms and vocabularies beyond tradition. Known for his groundbreaking work, he has radically redefined his instruments through new playing techniques and extended vocabulary. Throughout his distinguished career, he has toured the world’s most prestigious venues, including the Philharmonie Berlin, Sydney Opera House, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, and Pierre Boulez Saal. 

In late 2025, Mohammad Reza Mortazavi released the album Nexus, a title that refers to a point of connection or intersection, a meeting place where different energies, times, and spaces converge and transform. It is a fitting metaphor for Mortazavi’s music itself, which continuously bridges tradition and innovation, past and present.