On the last night of the 40th Fajr Music Festival, at 9:30 PM, the Navaye Aftab Orchestra, led by Amin Salemi, took the stage at Vahdat Hall to perform pieces from some of the most iconic film scores in cinema history. This program, which had been performed in previous years at venues like Milad Tower and Vahdat Hall, was notably different this time. Unlike past performances, which included synchronized film footage, this concert was limited to just the music.

The orchestration of this performance included a diverse mix of string instruments, bass guitar, oud, cajón, drums, harmonica, saxophone, flute, clarinet, and piano.

The concert featured a collection of well-known film scores, including iconic pieces from world cinema. Works from films such as Eye of the Tiger, Poirot, Modern Times, The Godfather, The Mask of Zorro, Braveheart, Kung Fu Panda, Cinema Paradiso, Léon: The Professional, Arshin Mal Alan, Heaven’s Gate, Ezel, The Walt School Kids, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Game of Thrones were part of the program. The selection of these pieces created a diverse and nostalgic atmosphere for the audience.

However, the arrangements for the pieces seemed very simple and basic, presenting no significant challenge. Since this repertoire had been performed multiple times by the same group throughout the year, the orchestra members were well-versed and delivered a generally acceptable performance. Nonetheless, in some sections, the string players did not execute their parts cleanly, and coordination between the sections could have been improved.

In the percussion section, the simultaneous presence of drums and cajón seemed somewhat illogical, and the inclusion of cajón in such an orchestra was questionable. The cajón is an instrument more commonly used in small acoustic performances where drums are not present. However, when an orchestra with such a large ensemble and drums is on stage, the role of the cajón in the overall sound becomes almost negligible and does not have a significant impact on the overall performance.

Amin Salemi’s conducting in this performance was more focused on overall guidance and coordination of the orchestra. In cases where the arrangements are simple and experienced musicians can maintain rhythm and musical flow, the role of the conductor becomes less prominent. In such performances, where the drums are responsible for maintaining the rhythm and the musicians are well-prepared, the conductor’s direct influence on moment-to-moment musical direction is minimal. However, Salemi’s presence as conductor still provided a sense of confidence and support to the musicians.

And thus, the festival came to a close. The 40th Fajr Music Festival began with a performance of Iranian pieces by the National Orchestra at Vahdat Hall and ended with the performance of world-renowned film music in the same venue.