Born on Farvardin the first, 1302 SH in Sanandaj, Hassan Kamkar is a musician, composer, and the founder of Kamkar ensemble. He liked to play an instrument from childhood that represented his talent. He had his first contact with music by Ali Khan, a blind music player. “Having a lot of problems and issues, I finally saved up some money to buy a Tar from Ali Khan. I played it in secret, but my father or other members of my family broke it. They did not disagree with playing it, but they believed that I should do other things rather than playing. I had the chance to be employed in Military Music School when I was 12.
There, not only I got rid of my father’s punishments, but also, I could pursue my greatest love, music”, explained Kamkar. Being a self-instructed musician in playing Tar, he got to know different wind instruments and learned how to play them in Military Music School, and after 15 years, he chose violin as his own specialized instrument. After a while, he began to gather and also to compose Kurdish folk music and songs. He could create and edit music notation of more than 400 songs and music pieces. In that time, there were a few, who were concerned about gathering these valuable resources; one of them was Abolhasan Saba.
Hasan Kamkar established the first music school in Kurdistan in 1340 SH with the support of the Ministry of Culture at the time. He found four music ensembles between 1346 SH and 1347 SH that among them, there was a group for women and a group for children.
He had eight children: Hooshang, Bijan, Pashang, Arsalan, Ghashang, Arjang, Ardeshir, and Ardavan, and they all are musicians. In 1344 SH, he formed The Kamkars, a family musical group. Hasan Kamkar played the violin, Ghashang sang, Pashang and Arjang played Santur and drum, Hooshang and Bijan played accordions. Later, The Kamkars initiated Sheida Music Group and Aref Ensemble accompanied by Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Parviz Meshkatian, and Hossein Alizadeh and they had their first concerts right after the Iranian Revolution.
Hasan Kamkar passed away in 1371 SH.