A Budding Poet and Musician
From the tender age of twelve, Abdullah Taleh showed a natural inclination toward poetry. Words and rhythm fascinated him; they became both his refuge and his instrument of self-expression. By the age of twenty, he had matured into a serious poet and was invited to join the Hamedan Literary Association, a prominent gathering of poets, scholars, and artists of the region. It was here that he met Maulana Yousefzadeh Ghamam Hamedani, whose influence helped refine his poetic sensibilities. However, it was music—not poetry—that would become the true passion of his life.
Taleh’s journey into music began under the tutelage of Taqi Khan Shaygan, a respected master of traditional Persian music. He chose the violin as his instrument of choice—a bold decision at a time when the violin was still seen as a “Western” addition to Iran’s musical tradition. His talent blossomed quickly. Within a short period, Taleh demonstrated such proficiency that Shaygan, recognizing the limits of what he could teach, encouraged him to continue on his own. Taleh’s musical path next led him to the great Master Abolhassan Saba, one of the foundational figures of modern Persian music. Under Saba’s guidance, he deepened his understanding of composition and improvisation, fusing Persian melodies with Western harmony in innovative ways.
