"Musiqi dünyası" № 1 (66) 2016

Article №2; 7538 - 7540 pр.
Saida Yelemanova. Mugham "Karabakh shikestesi" presented in the Jubilee International Symposium "Music of the Turkic-speaking World"
Text PDF

The 5th Jubilee International Symposium of the International Council for Traditional Music (ICTM, UNESCO) "Music of the Turkic-speaking world" study group was held on 21-23 April 2016 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It was dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the establishment of this study group. This scientific forum was held by The Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory with the support of the ICTM, the international organization "TURKSOY" and the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Leader of the Nation.

The general theme of the symposium was: "From Voice to Instrument: Sound Phenomenon in Traditional Cultural Heritage of the Turkic-speaking World". Many musicologists and historians from United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, China, Japan, Russia and the republics of Central Asia presented their studies on various genres of traditional music of the Turkic peoples.

Musicologist-orientalist Dr. Suraya Agayeva from Azerbaijan also participated in this important forum. She is a member of ICTM, a leading researcher at the Department "History and Theory of Music" of the Institute of Architecture and Art of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan as well as an Honored Worker of Art of Azerbaijan.

As an expert on the musical culture of the medieval East and mugham art, S. Agayeva presented a report "On the Features of the Traditional Vocal-Instrumental Music of the Medieval East and of Instrumental Mugham of Azerbaijan". A notable feature of her presentation was that it was based on the results of her research manuscripts of medieval treatises written in various Eastern languages. In this report the development of independent instrumental mugam was traced and validated from the Middle Ages to the modern period for the first time. Little-known facts of the history of Turkic music culture were highlighted and the report was accompanied by rare depictive and music video illustrations. One of the brightest music video illustrations of the report was the rhythmical mugham "Karabakh shikestesi", performed by famous mugham musicians of Azerbaijan. The presentation of S. Agayeva aroused great interest in the international symposium participants through her versatile approach to the coverage of this timely topic.

It should be noted that this multifaceted elaboration of the issues is typical for all the studies of Suraya Agayeva. It is enough to recall her recent work which has received a broad international response; the book "Encyclopedia of Azerbaijani Mugam" and her report at the World Symposium of the "International Council for Traditional Music» (ICTM) in the capital of Kazakhstan Astana (July 2015).

However, returning to the symposium "Music of the Turkic-speaking world" in Almaty, in addition to the main report, S. Agayeva also gave a speech on the first day of the anniversary of the forum, at the plenary session of the solemn opening of the symposium, which was held at the Center of the First President of Kazakhstan-Leader of the Nation. She presented to the Turkic study group of ICTM the CD music album "Karabagh singers (khanende)". In her welcoming speech at Azerbaijani, both in Russian and English, S. Agayeva noted that this album is a unique edition of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, whose president is the first lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva, whose vigorous activity is focused on the development of Azerbaijani culture.

S.Agayeva informed the audience that the old Karabakh (Qarabagh) region of Azerbaijan is the home to many well-known musicians and composers and in this regard it was known as the "Conservatory of the Caucasus" and "Conservatory of the East". S. Agayeva expressed the hope that the next symposium "Music of the Turkic-speaking world" will be held in Azerbaijan, in the beautiful city of Karabakh - Shusha. The speech of the Azerbaijani musicologist was met with approving applause. The music album "Karabakh singers" was gratefully accepted by the vice-president of ICTM, chairman of the section "Music of the Turkic-speaking world", a professor at Cambridge University, Razia Sultanova.

On the same day S. Agayeva chaired the scientific session "Sound at the Intersection of Vocal, Instrumental and Speech Beginnings". On the final day of the symposium, during the discussion and summing up of the anniversary scientific forum the scientist of Azerbaijan made interesting comments and useful recommendations for future symposia. Vice-President of ICTM, R. Sultanova noted that S. Agayeva has great experience regarding the organization and successful holding of international symposia ("Space of Mugham" in Baku) and thanked the Azerbaijani musicologist for her invaluable contributions.

For the fruitful participation in the 5th Symposium "Music of the Turkic-speaking world", Secretary General of the International Organization "TURKSOY", Professor Dusen Kaseinov awarded Azerbaijani musicologist Suraya Agayeva The Certificate of Honor of "TURKSOY" and presented her with a medal named after the famous Khakas epic-teller (khaidji) of XX century, S. Kadyshev.