Biography

Khalil Sheikh was born in the city of Khaf, Khorasan, Iran, in one of the most culture-loving and musical family.

Since his childhood, like most of the musicians whose music is inherited in their family, he inherited playing dotar from his grandfather and his mother. His grandfather, had a gentle voice and was following the traditional music of the country so that he had benefited from Khorasan and was fully familiar with region’s music, His mother also has a good voice, and Khalil grew up in such an environment.

His father’s house was the place where most of the well-known musicians and music mentors used to come and go, so basically was a grounding space for music and art, and it had a great impact on Khalil Sheikh, and in that time by 80s lots of recordings were recorded in this house with the presence of the late master Gholamhossein Arfa.

In order to enrich his understanding of music, Khalil Sheikh obtained more encounters with the late Master Osman Mohammadparst and the late Master Zulfiqar Asgarian, who had a tremendous credit and impression on his familiarity with comprehension, Conception of Khorasan folk music.

He has ever more seek to benefit and charter from different school of thoughts and masters. During his artistic activity, he has had many opportunities to perform folk music concerts and to identify this music in other regions of Iran.

To introduce this instrument, Khalil Sheikh has trained many students in other cities of Iran, which encourages this type of music, the Maghqami Music that has been this ancient heritage for thousands of years up until now and to be safe from oblivion and forgetfulness.

He entered the Faculty of Arts in 2009 and received his degree in handicrafts, and in this field, he has been involved in handicrafts and exhibitions.

One of Khalil Sheikh’s preoccupations and tendencies is making the dotar instrument away from any innovation and novelty that has caused the originality of this instrument, so that made it available to those who are interested in this instrument.

Khalil Sheikh has done a worthy and competent service to Khorasan region in terms of tourism and by introducing and promoting Khorasan, he has attracted many tourists from inside and outside the country, which has led to the prelude of the rich culture of Khorasan.

In the winter of 2018, he was officially invited by the Austrian University of Music& Art, and performed and introduced the music of Khorasan at the Vienna Museum of Art and also at the University of Music in Graz, which made the head of the Vienna Art House, Mr. Michael Biles, and the staff of the Austrian University of Music to travel to Khaf and Khorasan to sense and appreciate this music and its culture closely.