Traditional Iranian Music

Improvisation is a defining characteristic of traditional Iranian music. Iranian musicians describe their music as ' impossible to play in the same way twice' or ' able to be performed in many ways,' emphasizing that they do not perform prepared compositions. What exactly do musicians play and how do they play it? How does the musician's individuality and originality come into play? What norms are acquired during the learning process that make improvisation possible? What is the concept of "impr