Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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The Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic Hall will host a commemorative evening dedicated to the outstanding tar virtuoso Ramiz Guliyev (1947-2025) on April 30, AzerNEWS reports.

Organized by Nadir Events, the evening will honor the 79th anniversary of the maestro's birthday.

The concert will feature the Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra under the baton of People's Artist,Ayyub Guliyev, the musician's son. Also performing will be the instrumental ensemble Buta Ensemble, led by artistic director Rovshan Gurbanov.

The evening's program will bring together prominent performers, including People's Artists Nazaket Teymurova (khanende), Azer Zeynalov (vocalist), and Anvar Sadigov (accordionist). Honored Artists taking the stage include Ramil Gasimova, Sahib Pashazade, Emil Afrasiyab, as well as Tayyar Bayramov, Ilkin Ahmedov, Elnur Zeynalov, and Ekhtiram Huseynov (khanende). They will be joined by Sakhavet Mammadov and Kamala Nabiyeva.

This concert promises to be a significant cultural event, uniting the traditions of Azerbaijani national music with contemporary performance art, and serving as a heartfelt tribute to the rich artistic legacy of Ramiz Guliyev.

Ramiz Guliyev born on April 30, 1947, in the Aghdam district of Azerbaijan, was one of the most distinguished masters of the tar, a professor, and a celebrated figure in Azerbaijani musical culture. He was awarded the honorary title of People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1988 and became a laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2014.

Between 1964 and 1969, Ramiz Guliyev studied tar performance and conducting at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory (later the Baku Music Academy). While still a student, he taught tar at Baku's secondary music schools No. 1 and No. 20. The year 1974 marked a turning point in his artistic career: in June he received first prize at the Transcaucasian Musicians' Festival, and in October he won first place at the Fifth All-Union Competition of Variety Artists in Moscow.

From his first year at the Conservatory until 1994, Ramiz Guliyev performed as a soloist with the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic and the Azerbaijan State Concert Association (Azconcert). Alongside his performing career, he pursued an extensive academic path. From 1974 to 1992, he served as lecturer, senior lecturer, associate professor, and ultimately professor at the Conservatory. From 1992 to 2002, he headed the Department of Folk Musical Instruments at the same institution.

He also toured widely, giving solo and ensemble performances in Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Russia, Belarus, Turkiye, Afghanistan, Guinea-Bissau, Syria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Pakistan, Algeria, Tunisia, India, Japan, the United States, Canada, Poland, Denmark, Iran, Iraq, France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Norway, and many other countries.

In 1988, he was granted the title of People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR. Among his later distinctions were the Humay National Prize (1993), the Shohrat (Glory) Order in 2007 for his contributions to Azerbaijani musical art, the State Prize of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2014 for his concert and performing activities, the Sharaf (Honor) Order in 2017 for his services to Azerbaijani culture, as well as various international medals and honorary recognitions.

Ramiz Guliyev passed away on October 15, 2025, in Baku at the age of seventy-eight. His life was devoted to elevating the tar from a traditional folk instrument to a symbol of national identity on the global stage.

The national musician left behind a timeless legacy in the history of Azerbaijani music.