Guliyev tours Russia with Safonov Orchestra
By Nigar Orujova
Ayyub Guliyev, the conductor of Azerbaijan's State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater and the winner of international competitions, led Russia's State Academic Philharmonic Orchestra named after Vasiliy Safonov to give concerts in different cities of Russia.
The tour was supported by the Russia Culture Ministry, the State Philharmonic of the Stavropol Krai and the North-Caucasus Federal Academic Philharmonic, named after Vasiliy Safonov.
The concerts were held in the Great Hall of the Stavropol State Philharmonic and the concert hall, named after Alexander Scriabin.
The first concert of the orchestra was timed to the 110th anniversary of the Stavropol State College of Arts. The College is the oldest institution of culture and art in the North-Caucasus. It was founded as Music classes at the Stavropol branch of the Imperial Russian Musical Society in 1903. On this occasion, famous bands and artists from different cities of Russia and CIS countries were invited to Stavropol.
Starting the program of the jubilee concert, famous pianist, Russian Honored Artist, professor of Moscow State Conservatory Andrey Diyev and conductor Ayyub Guliyev performed the Concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Outstanding performance of the pianist was met with a hurricane of applause and Diyev played several piano works in gratitude for the warm reception.
The second part of the concert featured orchestral works of great composers of the 18th-20th centuries performed by the Academic Philharmonic Orchestra. The audience enjoyed the 8th Symphony and "Slavonic Dances" by Antonin Dvorak, as well as instrumental works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich.
Following the concert, Culture Minister of Stavropol Krai Tatyana Likhacheva, head of the Stavropol State Philharmonic Hall Larisa Koneva, head of the State College of Arts Anna Makeeva expressed their gratitude to professor Andrey Diyev and conductor Ayyub Guliyev for this priceless gift for musicians and classic music lovers in Stavropol.
Performance of the opera "The Marriage of Figaro" by Mozart in the North-Caucasus State Philharmonic Hall became the culmination of the tour. Winners of international competitions Sergey Maydan, Natalia Govorskaya, Mikhail Hodjigirov, Julia Kolevatova, Anna Guzairova, Viktor Zhuravlev, and Igor Tarasenko performed leading roles of the opera, directed by Andrey Nogin.
Earlier this summer, Guliyev signed an agreement with State Academic Philharmonic Orchestra and became principal guest conductor. Based on the agreement, the orchestra will give concerts for two years.
Safonov Orchestra, a powerful cultural and educational institution in Russia, is one of the oldest musical collectives of the country, which was established on the initiative of the great musician and educator Vasiliy Safonov in 1895.
Guliyev has cooperated with the collective since 2008, prepared about 30 concerts and performed with renowned musicians.
Guliyev, 29, graduated from the Baku Music Academy in 2005. Guliyev was the only Azerbaijani performing at the international music festival dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Sergei Rachmaninoff in Russia.
He is also the winner of several competitions, including the International Conducting Competition after B. Lyutoslavckiy in Belostok in 2006 and the International Conducting Competition after D. Mitropoulos in Athens in 2008. In 2010, Guliyev won the top award, the Giuseppe Sinopoli prize, at the International Conducting Competition named after Arturo Toscanini in Parma.