In general, the mankind has been existing and developing by creating and building.
Heydar Aliyev
Space of Mugham 7th International Music Festival
The Space of Mugham 7th International Music Festival was held, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture, in the course of June 17 to 22, 2025.
Over 200 performers, critics and guests from over 25 countries, including Türkiye, Germany, Spain, Morocco, Iraq, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Canada, India, Norway, Russia, the Great Britain, USA, Japan and Switzerland, joined the festival.
During the festival days were held a symposium associated with the theoretical and practical legacy of Safiaddin Urmavi, a prominent 13th-century music expert, an interactive voice performance on the basis of the programme “Music hour” of the Azerbaijani radio of the 1950s and 60s in Icherisheher, and a music marathon “Mugham 12”. Master classes were also organized with participation of renowned mugham performers of Azerbaijan.
A mugham contest was held, within the framework of the festival, with participation of young talents from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and China. 31 young mugham performers participated in the contest, comprised of two rounds. Following the decision of the international jury, 6 performers became winners of the contest.
Alibek Saparboyev and Dilnoza Akbarova (both from Uzbekistan) were awarded the 3rd place, Nuraddin Taghiyev and Mahta Mahammadalizade Behnam from Azerbaijan the 2nd place, while Farangiz Mahmudova from Uzbekistan was honoured with the 1st place.
Representing Azerbaijan, Maftun Safarli won the Grand Prix of the contest having shown the best result.
The award “For loyalty to traditions” of the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire was presented to a Uyghur group from Xinjiang, China.
On June 22, the contest’s closing ceremony took place at the Aghdam Mugham Centre. During the ceremony, awards were presented to the laureates of the international mugham performers contest.
