‘I won’t swap my instrument for France’

Iranian traditional music maestro says he declined an offer to exchange his musical instrument Gheichak with a hefty amount of money in France.

Superb player of Iran Balouchi music Rasul Bakhsh Zangshahi recalled in an interview with the media on Wednesday that he was offered to receive a great deal of money for his Gheichak during a performance in France, adding that “ I told them I won’t trade it even with the whole France.”

The Iranian maestro, who has the expertise in traditional music belonging to Iran’s Balouchestan region, noted that he owns two Gheichak musical instruments with the one inherited from his father and decorated by Zangshahi catching every viewer’s eye.

Sistan and Baluchestan is a southeastern province, bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bowed String Instruments such as Gheichak is one of the most common musical instruments to play the region’s traditional tones.

The bowed instrument is used in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan and China with little change.

The noted Gheichak played has been honored at the Fajr International Music Festival in Iran.

AG/AG