Haj Qorban Soleimani, 87, a veteran dotar player from the Khorasan region, died of pneumonia in his birthplace, Aliabad village in northeastern Iran. He gained the high rank of ‘Bakhshi’ at the age of 21, a title given to masters of music in Khorasan, and was able to perform over 90 maqams native to the Khorasan region.

In 1991, he Soleimani attended the music festival held in Avignon, France where he received the honorary title “Real National Treasure."

Soleimani attended many festivals and invented a new form of the Azeri instrument named the gopuz which was popular with many people. The gopuz is the most ancient stringed instrument of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Source: Tehran Times