International World of Mugham Festival

International World of Mugham Festival
Country	Azerbaijan

The International World of Mugham Festival (Azerbaijani: Beynəlxalq Muğam Dünyası Festivalı) is an annual music festival of Azerbaijani mugham music.

The first festival was held on Heydar Aliyev Foundation’s initiative, on March 18–25, 2009, in Baku. Official opening ceremony of the festival was held on March 20, in International Mugham Center of Azerbaijan. International scientific symposium, international contest of mugham singers, multiple mugham operas, symphonic and classical mugham concerts were held during the festival. The festival was concluded by gala concert, which was held on March 25, 2009 in Heydar Aliyev Palace, in Baku.

International scientific symposium of mugham

International scientific symposium of mugham was held during the international festival and lasted for 3 days. Meetings of the symposium had been held in three sections, in the end of which was published a special book.

About 30 scientists, musicians, and also promoters of traditional eastern music from the USA, Great Britain, Russia, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Netherlands, Hungary, China, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Iran, Morocco, Tajikistan and other countries took part at the symposium.

Participants of the symposium were such ethnomusicologist scientists, as Steven Blum (Professor of New York municipal university, expert of UNESCO), Dieter Christensen (Professor of Columbia University in New York), Wim van Zanten (vice president of International Council of Traditional Music under UNESCO), Professor Jean During from France, Jurgen Elsner (Professor of Humboldt University of Berlin), Hiromi Lorraine Sakata (Professor of the University of California), Inna Naroditskaya (Northwestern University, Chicago ), Luis Duran and James Parkin (hosts of most popular “World Routes” program on BBC Radio), Bernard Kleikamp - chairman and the owner of “Pan Records” company, Professor Rovshan Yunusov from Uzbekistan, Professor of Moscow Conservatory Violetta Yunusova, Abduvali Abdurashidov-chairman of “Makoma Academy” in Dushanbe and others.

Presentations about musical cultures of Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, India, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan were sounded in the sections of the festival and the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh War was also raised there.

Program of the symposium

• March 17 – Press conference of International World of Mugham Festival.
• March 18 – Opening ceremony of International Scientific Symposium in Azerbaijan State Museum of History.
• March 19 – Conferences of sections of the International Scientific Symposium in Azerbaijan State Museum of History.
• March 20 – Conferences of the International Symposium in Azerbaijan State Museum of History.
• March 20 – Closing conference of a circular table in Azerbaijan State Museum of History.
• March 20 – Ceremonies of celebrating “Novruz Bayram” in Icheri Sheher.
• March 20 – Official receipt in honor of participants of the festival.
• March 22 – Meeting with friends of Azerbaijani mugham in Composers’ Union of Azerbaijan.

Participants of the festival

Ensemble of Maragha Huseyn Aladhami Nodira Pirmatova Aygun Bayramova Sakina Ismayilova Mansum Ibrahimov Agakhan Abdullayev

Yulduz Turdiyeva Tofig Himminji Mozaffar Shafii Elchin Hashimov Elnur Ahmedov Ismayil Hamidov Munis Sharifov

Omar Sarmini Aishe Reduan Firuz Aliyev Zamig Aliyev Alim Gasimov Elshan Mansurov Zabit Nabizade

Ayshamgul Muhammad Vasumati Badrinatkhan Fakhraddin Dadashov Melekkhanim Eyyubova Mohlat Muslumov Nuriyye Huseynova Valeh Alakbarov Ensemble “Angam Al Rafidain”

• Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov
• Azerbaijan Chamber Orchestra named after Gara Garayev
• Azerbaijan State Choir
• Azerbaijan State Orchestra of National Instruments
• Azerbaijan State Ensemble of Old Musical Instruments

Ulduz Turdiyeva (Uzbekistan)- laureate of the first premium of the festival

Organizers of the festival

President of the festival

Performance of Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov

Mehriban Aliyeva – President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, goodwill ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO

Organizers of the festival

• Heydar Aliyev Foundation
• Ministry of Culture and Turism of Azerbaijan Republic
• Union of Composers of Azerbaijan

Organizational support

• The Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic
• Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences
• Friends of Azerbaijani Culture Foundation

Artistic director of the festival

• Firangiz Alizade - Chairman of the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan

Organization committee

• Abulfaz Garayev, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan Republic (co-chairman of the organization committee)
• Misir Mardanov, Minister of Education of Azerbaijan Republic (co-chairman of the organization committee)
• Mahmud Karimov, President of National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (co-chairman of the organization committee)
• Franghiz Alizadeh, Chair of the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan
• Vagif Sadygov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Republic
• Farhad Badalbeyli, Chancellor of the Baku Academy of Music
• Timuchin Afandiyev, Chancellor of Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts
• Siyavush Karimi, Chancellor of Azerbaijan National Conservatoire
• Anar Alakbarov, Executive Director of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation
• Ibrahim Guliyev, Executive Director of the Friends of Azerbaijani Culture Foundation
• Eleonora Huseynova, Permanent representative of Azerbaijan in UNESCO, ambassador
• Arif Alyshanov, Chairman of Azerbaijan State Broadcasting Union closed corporation
• Adalat Aliyev, President of the Lider media holding
• Akif Malikov, Chairman of Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theatre
• Murad Adigozalzadeh, Chairman of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall

Working organization group

• Farah Aliyeva, manager of the arts branch of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (head of working group)
• Ilham Pirmammadov, head of executive personnel of the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan
• Parvina Ismayilova, manager of social politics branch of Heydar Aliyev Foundation
• Yagut Shikhseyidqizi, associate professor of the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire
• Shahla Mahmudova, professor of the Baku Academy of Music
• Mehdi Mammadov, representative of the Mugham centre
• Jahangir Salimkhanov, musicologist
• Goshgar Hasanov, translator