Aref Qazvini was born in 1882 in Qazvin. His father was a clegyman and a lawyer. Aref had a pleasant voice and father wished him to be a rowzeh-khan (''religious singer''). In his youth, Aref practiced as a rowzeh-khan and then he migrated to Tehran and sang in aristocratic houses.
These gathering displeased Aref and he eventually joined to free-thinkers of the Iranian Constitutional Movement. He composed political lyrics and patriotic songs and held several exciting concerts which resulted in his fame. His lyrics were distributed widely and people sang his tasnifs on the streets.
Like Sheyda, Aref composed tasnifs only and was not known as an improviser. He composed both lyrics and music, and performed them. His output was popular in different periods. ''Gerye Kon'', ''Az Khun-e Javanan-e Vatan'' and "Eftekhar-e Afaq'' are of his famous tasnifs.
He died at 1933 in dire poverty and total oblivion.
Source: An Introduction to Iraninan music booklet from Mahoor Institute of Culture and Art