Nargiz Pashayeva visits fundraising gala in London

By Nigar Orujova

Rector of the Baku branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University, co-chair of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, Professor Nargiz Pashayeva has visited a traditional fundraising gala dinner in Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, invited by Purcell School for Young Musicians, the oldest specialist music school in the UK.

This gala dinner is a significant event in the musical life of the UK. During the event, school director James Purcell Harding greeted and thanked the participants, and briefly introduced the program of the event.

The dinner was attended by well-known British artists, member of the House of Lords of the British Parliament Baroness Warnock, as well as well-known professors and cultural industry workers.

Early this June, Professor Nargiz Pashayeva and Lord German, co-chairman of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society, visited the Purcell School and held a meeting its management.

The sides discussed the possibility of cooperation between the Purcell School for Young Musicians and Specialized music school named after Bulbul in Azerbaijan and education opportunities for two Azerbaijani students.

Professor Nargiz Pashayeva's initiative was welcomed by the management of the Purcell School, and director of Bulbul school Teymur Goychayev. Two students of this school – tar player Atabek Ismayilov and pianist Rashid Behbudov – have visited the Purcell School at the invitation of Professor Pashayeva. The school offered them a weekly program to learn the British system of musical education.

The Purcell School for Young Musicians, located in the town of Bushey, south Hertfordshire, England, is the oldest specialist music school in the UK. The school was awarded the UNESCO Mozart Medal in 2003, which was received on behalf of the school by Prince Charles, who is a patron of the school.

During her visit to the UK, Professor Pashayeva also attended a business dinner at the House of Lords at the invitation of Lord German and six members of the House of Lords – Lord Berkeley, Lord Clemens-Jones, Lord Lipsey, Lord Rowe-Beddou, Lord Aberdare and Lord Thomas Grestfordsky.

The sides discussed prospects of joint cultural projects supervised by co-chairs of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Society Professor Nargiz Pashayeva and Lord German.

At the dinner, Professor Pashayeva spoke of musical and cultural heritage of Azerbaijan. The British Lords hailed the activities of Professor Pashayeva.