The legendary Iranian vocalist, Mohammad-Reza Shajarian, is planning to hold traditional Persian music concerts in Australia and North America.

Accompanied by Shahnaz Ensemble, the 70-year-old singer will begin his tour from April 30, 2010 in Perth, Australia.

Directed by Majid Derakhshani, the Shahnaz Ensemble has accompanied maestro Shajarian in many international concerts, including the one held in commemoration of the Persian Sufi poet Mowlavi in Konya, Turkey in December 2009.

Shajarian's Australia tour is scheduled to take him to Melbourne on May 1, Brisbane on May 8 and Sydney on May 16.

The musical legend is then scheduled to tour the US, appearing on stage in Chicago (May 20), Atlanta (May 22), Washington (May 23), Houston (May 25), Seattle (May 27), Berkeley (May 29) and Los Angeles (May 30).

Persian music enthusiasts in Canada will have the opportunity to see Shajarian performing live in Vancouver on June 4 and in Toronto on June 6.

Shajarian, the greatest figure of Iran's contemporary traditional music, received UNESCO's Mozart Medal in 2006 and the 1999 prestigious Golden Picasso Medal among other awards.

He has invented new string instruments named Bam Sorahi, Saghar and Kereshmeh, which have been designed for traditional Persian music.

TE/CS/MMN