Iranian classical singer Iraj dies at 94

TEHRAN, Iran — Hussein Hojazade Emiri, one of Iran's leading classical and traditional vocalists known by his stage name Iraj, has died at the age of 94. According to Iran's official IRNA news agency, the singer died on Wednesday after a long illness. Born in 1933 in Isfahan into a family with a musical background, Hojazade Emiri began his vocal training with his father before moving to Tehran, where he studied under composer Abolhassan Saba, one of the major figures of Iranian music. Although he graduated from a military academy as an officer, he took an early retirement to devote himself entirely to music. From the mid-20th century, Iraj performed more than 200 songs on Goleha, one of Iran's most prominent radio programs, and contributed vocals to soundtracks for 105 Iranian films. Over the course of his career, he collaborated with musicians including Jalil Shahnaz, Parviz Yahaghi and Anoushirvan Rohani, and released dozens of albums. Iranian music critics have noted that the singer's wide vocal range and his ability to move with precision between registers reflected what is described in the local tradition as a rare natural "full voice." No further details about funeral arrangements were immediately available.