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Laman Ismayilova

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A concert programme dedicated to the 110th anniversary of master artist Ashig Iskandar Aghbabali, a prominent representative of the Aghbaba-Childir ashig tradition, and the 70th anniversary of Ashig Faxfur Aghbabali was held at the International Mugham Center.

The programme was held as part of the "Voice of the Saz - Breath of the Word" project, jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Institute of Folklore of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences and the International Mugham Center. The event aimed to promote and preserve the rich traditions of Azerbaijani ashig art, particularly the artistic heritage of the Aghbaba-Childir ashig tradition, and to demonstrate the continuity of the master-apprentice tradition.

At the event, Academician Abel Maharramov, Chairman of the Amasiya Community, noted that such artistic evenings are important not only as a tribute to master artists, but also for passing the rich heritage of ashig art, which holds an important place in the nation's cultural memory, on to future generations. The academician emphasized that the creative work of Ashig Iskandar Aghbabali played an important role in preserving the traditions of the Aghbaba-Childir ashig tradition, as well as Azerbaijan's musical and saz-and-word heritage. His artistic career is also an example of the rich ashig tradition passed from master to apprentice.

Hikmat Guliyev, Director of the Institute of Folklore and Doctor of Philology, said that ashig art, one of the important branches of Azerbaijani folklore, has a special place in shaping and preserving the nation's saz-and-word heritage:

"Ashig Iskandar Aghbabali was one of the important representatives of this rich tradition in the 20th century and one of the last great masters of the Aghbaba-Childir ashig tradition. He was not only a saz performer, but also stood out as a creative ashig and a skilled dastan storyteller. Ashig Iskandar had thoroughly mastered the saz repertoire of the Aghbaba-Childir tradition and performed melodies including 'Aghbabayi', 'Aghbaba Gaytarmasi', 'Chalpapakh', 'Dali Hijrani', 'Darbadari', 'Qars Gozallamasi', 'Bahari', 'Rahmani', 'Iskandari', 'Aghbaba Gulu', 'Galin Nanayi' and others. Sources note that he knew 33 dastans by heart and also preserved and passed down a number of regional dastans and legends belonging to the Aghbaba tradition.

"An important aspect of Ashig Iskandar Aghbabali's artistic legacy was the vast collection of dastans and saz-and-word repertoire preserved in his memory. He was an artist who preserved folk dastans not only as part of his performance repertoire but also in the living memory of ashig art, making him an important link in the Aghbaba-Childir ashig tradition. The preservation of the creative work of masters of earlier generations in his artistic memory and its transmission to later generations is an important indication of the continuity of the master-apprentice tradition in ashig art. Ashig Faxfur Aghbabali is also among Ashig Iskandar's students."

Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament Hikmat Baboglu, Professor Afdandil Aghbabali, Honoured Journalist Sayyad Aghbabali, PhD in Philology Tacir Samimi, Honoured Cultural Worker Mahammadali Mashadiyev, and PhD in Philology and Associate Professor Ilhama Gasabova, a leading researcher at the Institute of Folklore, spoke about the lives and creative careers of both artists.

As part of the programme, a short documentary dedicated to the life and creative work of Ashig Iskandar Aghbabali was screened. The event continued with a concert programme.

At the end of the event, Ashig Fahfur Aghbabali was awarded on the occasion of his 70th anniversary.