Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijani mugham and Uzbek makom are two closely related classical musical traditions rooted in the rich cultural heritage of the Turkic world.

Azerbaijani mugham is a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage, known for its highly improvisational structure, deep emotional expression, and complex modal system. Similarly, Uzbek makom represents a classical musical tradition built on a sophisticated cycle of modes and poetic-musical forms, forming one of the most important pillars of Central Asian musical culture.

A masterclass titled "Teaching Shared Performance Styles of Azerbaijani Mugham and Uzbek Makom" has been organized for young performers, AzerNEWS reports.

The event was organized within the framework of cooperation between the Azerbaijan Cultural Center named after Heydar Aliyev in Uzbekistan and the Yunus Rajabi Uzbek National Institute of Musical Art.

The masterclass was attended by People's Artist of Azerbaijan, tar player Malik Mansurov; Honored Artist and khananda (vocalist) Gochag Asgarov; Honored Artist of Uzbekistan and Head of the Makom Performance Department at the Uzbek National Institute of Musical Art, Professor Ilyas Arabov; and lecturer Azeza Davronova.

The session was dedicated to introducing young musicians to the historical and cultural links between Azerbaijani mugham and Uzbek makom, their shared performance traditions, melodic characteristics, and interpretative principles.

Discussions also focused on repertoire selection, development of individual performance style, challenges in music education, and improving young performers' ability to present themselves on the international stage. Practical demonstrations through live performances helped bridge theoretical knowledge with practice and fostered a creative and professional musical dialogue among participants.

Opening the event, Akif Marifli, Director of the Azerbaijan Cultural Center named after Heydar Aliyev in Uzbekistan, stated that such scientific and cultural initiatives contribute to strengthening friendly relations, strategic partnership, and cultural cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. He underlined that studying the shared aesthetic, melodic, and structural features of ancient musical systems such as mugham and makom is of great importance for the comparative research of both nations' musical heritage.

Anvar Norbekov, Vice-Rector of the Yunus Rajabi Uzbek National Institute of Musical Art, stressed the importance of the initiative in expanding international cultural dialogue within the academic environment, improving the professional training of young performers, and promoting the scientific study of traditional music schools.

He noted that the masterclass contributes to the comparative analysis of mugham and makom modal systems and their evaluation in the context of modern musicology.

In conclusion, participants emphasized the importance of continuing such joint initiatives on a regular basis and highlighted the need to further expand academic and practical cooperation in the field of music between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

The masterclass was assessed as an important contribution to improving the professional training of young performers, integrating national music schools from both a scientific and practical perspective, and strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties between the two countries.