Incredible sounds of music in Gabala Festival

/By Azernews/

By Amina Nazarli

The 8th International Music Festival running in the beautiful corner of Azerbaijan -- Gabala continues to please local and foreign audience.

The festival started on July 30 brings together world-renowned musicians, art ensembles, soloists and conductors from Azerbaijan and a number of foreign countries.

Spectators of the festival were mesmerized with the concert of another world-renown orchestra -- “Kiev Virtuosi” on the fifth day of the grandiose festival. The concert featured works by Joseph Haydn and Shostakovich, performed by Murad Adigozalzadeh, Director of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic,  world-famous violoncellist  Dmitry Yablonsky, and concertmaster of the Academic Symphony orchestra of the national Philharmonic of Ukrainian Sergey Cherevatenko.

Jose Manuel Rodriguez Arias, Head of the Cuban band Jovenes Clasikos Del Son said that the program of the festival is very rich. “Every day audience has a chance to attend 2-3 concerts in the hall and in an open air. And what is the main thing is an increased interest of people to concerts. Presence of over 1,000 spectators at every show is a great success,” he explained.

"I have never met such a wonderful organization at any other event, noted the Cuban musician. It’s nice to see people in the audience of all ages. It’s rare to find such case in every country. Usually halls are full of elderly. But a young audience prevailed in the Gabala," he added.

Meanwhile, the organizers decided to extend the format of the festival by holding several concerts in other regions of the country including Sheki, Gakh, Zagatala, and Balakan.

Balakan is going to host the concert the concert of “Kiev Virtuosi” on August 8 at 19:00 at the Heydar Aliyev park. Next concerts are scheduled to be held in Zagatala, Gakh, and Sheki on August 9,10 and 11 respectively. 

Until August 5, the festival will be attended by prominent musicians, art ensembles, soloists and conductors from Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the U.S., Italy, France, Spain, Israel, Lithuania and Cuba.

Launched by Heydar Aliyev Foundation in 2009, Gabala International Music Festival is an annual open-air festival of classical music, as well as jazz and mugham. The festival is held on the initiative of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation with the support of Culture and Tourism Ministry and Executive Power of Gabala region. Musicians’ performances take place under the open sky and in chamber concert halls of Gabala.