Various concert programmes to be presented in the framework of the International Mugham Festival
During June 18 to 25, the Space of Mugham 6th International Mugham Festival will be held.
Winners of the National Mugham Contest held during April 24 to 27 will represent Azerbaijan at the Festival, to be held with the organizational support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry, enjoying the support of the Ministry of Science and Education, and the National Conservatoire of Azerbaijan. Registration of international performers for participation in the festival will end on May the 20th.
Various concerts will be organized in Baku, Aghjabedi and Shusha cities within the framework of the Festival.
The music festival will be launched on June 18, by concerts of People’s Artist Alim Gasymov at the Heydar Aliyev Palace, and by People’s Artist Anvar Sadygov and Honoured Artist Emil Afrasiab at the National Conservatoire.
On June 19, the festival will continue by concerts of Honoured Artist Elchin Shirinov from Azerbaijan and a number of mugham singers, Daud Khan Sadozai from Afghanistan and Mahan Mirarab from Iran at the International Mugham Centre, the National Conservatoire, and the Stone Annals.
Following performances in the framework of the Space of Mugham Festival will be listened to in the Chamber and Organ Music Hall, at the International Mugham Centre and the National Conservatoire on June 20. In the same places will perform People’s Artist Sakina Ismayilova and laureate of international contests Etibar Asadli from Azerbaijan, Vasumathi Badrinathan and Jyotsna Srikanth from India, and Kankou Kouyaten from Mali.
Next day of the Festival, on June 21, performances of Cadenza Orchestra under the Azerbaijan State Culture and Art University, pianist Tural Rafael, Macadi Nahhas from Jordan, Ilyos Arabov from Uzbekistan and Sardor Soliyev from Tajikistan are expected.
At the International Mugham Centre, Mustafa Said and “Asil” Ensemble from Egypt, Firudin Hamidov from Azerbaijan, Varijashree Venugopal and Jyotsna Srikanth from India at the National Conservatoire and “En Chordais” from Greece in the Chamber and Organ Music Hall will be on stage on June 22.
On June 24, concerts of the Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra will take place at the Heydar Aliyev Center, and People’s Artist, singer Teyyub Aslanov and pianist Nijat Aslanov will perform at the National Conservatoire.
Tickets to concerts to be held in Baku will soon be sold on the website iTicket.az and booking offices.
A concert will be organized in Aghjabedi city, within the framework of the Festival, with participation of mugham singers. Mugham and poetic performances will take place in Shusha – our cultural capital – at various places. An international symposium will be held within the framework of the Festival, instrumental mughams presented in Icherisheher, a mugham marathon to be performed by 24 groups, replacing one another 24 hours in the same place, will be held, and a “Mugham Hour” will be arranged in the open air.
On the last day of the Festival – June 25, a closing ceremony of the Space of Mugham will take place at the State Academic Philharmonic of Azerbaijan named after Muslim Magomayev. A concert will be presented here after the winners of the International Mugham Contest, held in the framework of the Festival, are awarded. Winners of the contest on singing and instrumental performance will be chosen by an international judge from Azerbaijan, the Great Britain, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and Türkiye.
Recent years, fundamental works have been done towards protecting and advancing mugham in Azerbaijan. Thanks to the support provided by First Vice-president of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva to our national culture and the art of mugham, and the works carried out in this direction, Azerbaijani mughams were entered on the Representative List of UNESCO on Intangible Heritage of the World in 2008.
As of 2009, national mugham contests and international mugham festivals are organized following the Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s initiative. These projects aim at once more demonstrating and eternalizing mugham - our national wealth – in the contest of world culture.