Biography

Childhood

Sharif Lotfi was born in Rasht and, at the age of 10, moved with his family to Tehran following his father’s job change. Encouraged by his father, who was a student of Master Abolhassan Saba, he began studying music at the Tehran Conservatory of Music at the age of 12.

Education

After receiving his high school diploma and bachelor's degree in music from the Tehran Conservatory of Music, Lotfi was awarded a government scholarship as an outstanding student and went to Germany. He had learned horn performance at the conservatory under the guidance of the late Morteza Hannaneh. In Germany, he completed his studies at the Hamburg Academy of Music under the instruction of Professor Bruckner Rogerberg, Professor Schröter, and Heinrich Kler in the fields of music pedagogy and orchestral conducting. He returned to Iran in 1977.

Professional Career

Upon his return to Iran, he initially became a faculty member at the Tehran Conservatory of Music and later became its director. In 1979, he joined the faculty of the Faculty of Music at the University of Art. He later worked for many years to establish the Faculty of Music at the Karaj campus of the University of Art. After obtaining the necessary permits, he played a key role in developing the curriculum for this faculty.

Achievements

• Developed and structured music study programs for undergraduate, graduate, and master's degrees.
• Responsible for organizing the first course of music technology (applied sciences) in a five-year program.
• Established the University of Guilan's music group in 2002.

Positions Held

• Director of the Tehran Conservatory of Music (1979)
• Founder and Conductor of the Tehran University Symphony Orchestra (1980)
• Conductor of the Bahman Cultural Center Symphony Orchestra
• Founder and Conductor of the Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra
• Founder of the Faculty of Music, University of Art, Tehran
• Dean of the Faculty of Music, University of Art, 1994–2010
• First member and co-founder of the National Artists' Evaluation Council
• Member of the Art and Architecture Group of the Supreme Planning Council of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education
• Editorial board member and music section manager of the quarterly Honar Magazine
• Member of the faculty for the "Management and Art" seminar in the Art Bureau of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance
• Member of the Music Terminology Committee, Academy of Persian Language and Literature
• Member of the Iranology Seminar Faculty (Music Branch) at the Iranology Foundation (2001)
• Member of the Art and Aesthetics Studies Group at the International Farabi Festival (2009)

(Award for the Promotion of Science)

Compositions

• "Shur-Gah" for Piano and Orchestra
• "Silk Road"
• "Études for Horn"
• "Soroush" for Violin and Orchestra
• "Mahoor Rangee"
• "National Olympiad Anthem"
• Arrangements of Regional Music of Iran for Iranian Local Instruments and Orchestra
• "Piece for Singer, Piano, and Choir"
• "Nava" for Four Iranian Instruments (2012)

Film and TV Series Music

• Madian (Ali Zhakan, 1985)
• Saman (Ahmad Nik Azar, 1986)
• Beside the Ponds (Yadollah Noynaziri, 1987)
• The Girl by the Swamp (Ali Zhakan, 1989)
• Wild Deer (Hamid Khairaldin, 1990)
• Rana Series (Davood Mirbagheri, 1990)
• Iron Bird (Ali Shah Hatami, 1991)
• Travelers of the Pomegranate Valley (Yadollah Noynaziri, 1991)
• Two Companions (Asghar Hashemi, 1992)
• Yas Blossom Perfume Series (Bahman Zarrinpour, 1991)
• Silence of the Mountain (Yadollah Noynaziri, 1993)

Books

• Modern Methods in Music Performance (University of Art Press, Tehran, 2002)
• Musical Thoughts (Dibaye Publishing, 2013)

(Award for Best Book of the Year)

Awards

• Golden Plaque and Honorary Diploma at the Fajr Film Festival for Film Music of Madian (1985)
• Selected Professor of the University of Art, Tehran (1995)
• Unveiling of the Sharif Lotfi Statue at the Artists’ Passage in Kish Island (2000)
• Book of the Year Music Award for Modern Methods in Music Performance (2003)
• Science Promotion Association Award (2011)