Azerbaijan Composers' Union presents jubilee medal

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan Composers' Union has conducted a final event dedicated to its 90th anniversary, Azernews reports.

The event which took place at Uzeyir Hajibayli Concert Hall was marked by the presentation of new sheet music publications and organizational issues.

In her opening remarks, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, People's Artist Frangiz Alizade said that numerous events dedicated to the 90th anniversary were held in the Union this year.

Mobile plenums in Ganja and Shusha, the 13th "Silk Road" International Music Festival in Shaki, as well as a plenum of young composers, anniversary concerts held abroad, and music festivals where new works by Azerbaijani composers in various genres were performed are among the grand events that were successfully held in the previous year. All these events were met with interest by the music community and were covered in various media.

Within the framework of the anniversary year, books and brochures dedicated to the creativity of famous composers and musicologists, as well as to the current problems of musicology, were published.

At this event, as a continuation of such a series of publications, a new project was presented, different in form and content.

For the first time in the history of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, scores of new vocal-symphonic works by Azerbaijani composers dedicated to Azerbaijan's Glorious Victory were published.

The main purpose of the new publications is to promote these works not only in our country but also beyond its borders. These patriotic music compositions were premiered at Heydar Aliyev Palace during a gala concert dedicated to Azerbaijan's Victory Day (November 8).

A large-scale series entitled "Choral and Symphonic Works of Azerbaijani Composers Dedicated to the Glorious Victory" was published in an elegant design.

The series includes works by five composers: Frangiz Alizade "Z?f?r mar??", Jalal Abbasov "?anl? Az?rbaycan", Sardar Farajov "Azad ?u?a", Mammad Jafarov "N?r o?lum", Rena Gadimova "Az?rbaycan?m".

This is the first volume of the planned series. In total, the musical text of 18 works will be covered. The artistic director of the project is Frangiz Alizade.

Each composer participating in the project was presented with a copy of the book.

In connection with the anniversary, a jubilee medal "Azerbaijan Composers' Union-90" was established for senior members of the Union.

People's Artist Tofig Bakikhanov, Honored Art Worker Zemfira Gafarova, Academician Zemfira Safarova, Corresponding Member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Science Rena Mammadova, Honored Art Workers Imruz Afandiyeva and Hajar Babayeva were awarded the jubilee medal.

Note that Azerbaijan Composers' Union has played an important role in helping develop a strong national identity through music.

The Union was founded with the assistance of Uzeyir Hajibeyli on June 30, 1934, as a department of the USSR Composers Union.

The founding assembly was attended by 17 composers from the USSR countries, including three Azerbaijani composers - Afrasiyab Badalbayli, Zulfugar Hajibeyov, and Niyazi. The current chairman of the Union is People’s Artist Frangiz Alizade.

In 2019, the Azerbaijan Composers' Union celebrated its 85th anniversary. As part of the festival, a series of marvelous concerts were solemnly held in the Philharmonic Hall, Azerbaijani Composers' Union, Baku Music Academy, the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, and the Rashid Behbudov State Song Theater. The festival's closing ceremony took place in Heydar Aliyev Palace.

Along with concert programs, a scientific conference titled "Achievements of Azerbaijani musical culture in recent years and prospects" was also held as part of the festival.

Azerbaijan Composers' Union serves as a space for both well-known and new composers, giving them chances to share their music, work together, and take part in different festivals both in Azerbaijan and around the world.