Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Winners of international mugham competition have been announced, Azernews reports.

The mugham contest was held as part of the 7th World of Mugham International Mugham Music Festival, organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Culture Ministry.

The international mugham performers' competition was held at the Azerbaijan National Conservatory as part of the festival.

The competition, which consisted of two rounds, was participated in by 31 young mugham performers from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, China, and other countries.

Based on the decision of the international jury, 14 participants advanced to the final. Among them, six performers became winners of the competition.

Alibek Saparboev and Dildnosa Akbarova (both from Uzbekistan) took third place, Nuraddin Taghiyev and Mekhta Mohammedali-zadeh Behnam (both from Azerbaijan) secured second place, and Farangiz Makhmudova (Uzbekistan) was awarded first place.

Representing Azerbaijan, Maftun Safarli, who showed the best result, became the recipient of the Grand Prix of the competition.

The special award of the Azerbaijan National Conservatory, "For Loyalty to Traditions", was presented to a musical group from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.

The jury, chaired by Uzbekistan, also included representatives from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Germany.

To promote the art of mugham, a genre rightly celebrated as the jewel of Azerbaijan's rich musical legacy, the 7th World of Mugham International Music Festival is being held in the country on June 17-22.

This prestigious event aims to showcase and preserve the cultural significance of mugham on the global stage.

The festival features over 50 performers, scholars, and distinguished guests from more than 25 countries, including Turkiye, Germany, Spain, Morocco, Iraq, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Canada, India, Norway, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, and Switzerland.

The festivities commenced on June 17 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace with an opening concert titled "Bayati," highlighting the deep-rooted traditions of mugham.

A key highlight of the festival is an international competition among young talents from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, and China.

More than 30 emerging singers and instrumentalists compete, showcasing the next generation of mugham artists.

The concert program also includes an interactive sound performance in Icherisheher inspired by the "Mugham Hour" broadcast of Azerbaijan Radio from the 1950s-60s, a symposium dedicated to the theoretical and practical contributions of the 13th-century musicologist Safiaddin Urmavi, and the Mugham 12 music marathon. Well-known Azerbaijani mugham performers also deliver concert performances.

The festival will culminate on June 22 with the closing ceremony at the Aghdam Mugham Center in liberated Garabagh, the birthplace of mugham.