International Mugham Center holds spectacular concert

International Mugham Center has hosted a spectacular concert, bringing together the center's soloists Vafa Vazirova, Sabina Arabli, Ravana Gurbanova, Miralam Miralamov, and Kamila Nabiyeva.

The singers mesmerized music lovers with their enchanting performances of mugham and tasnifs.

Each artist brought the rich tapestry of this traditional art form to life, showcasing its beauty and complexity.

The performers were supported by a talented instrumental ensemble, masterfully led by International Mugham Center soloist Rovshan Gurbanov on the tar.

The ensemble featured Jeyhun Muradov on kamancha, Honored Artist Tarana Aliyeva on qanun, Rafael Asgarov on balaban, Amil Mustafayev on naghara, Vasif Yusublu on oud, and Adem Zarbaliyev on balaban, creating a rich auditory experience that resonated deeply with the audience.

Note that the concert was organized within "Mugham Evening" project, which aims to preserve and transmit the profound legacy of the Azerbaijani mugham art to future generations, a cultural treasure that has blossomed and evolved over centuries of tradition and innovation.

Mughams represent some of the most invaluable treasures of Azerbaijan's cultural heritage, embodying the essence of both material and spiritual artistic expression.

The dastgahs serve as the pinnacle of Azerbaijani classical music within the oral tradition. The structure of a dastgah is intricately built upon a series of related mugham modes, each contributing to its overall artistic arc. The term "dastgah" itself derives from two components: "dest," denoting a set, and "gah," meaning place or position, collectively signifying a cohesive unit.

A dastgah encompasses all sections of mugham—shobe, gushe, as well as associated rengi and tasnifs—forming a unified composition characterized by a logical progression through its various elements. This deliberate, sequential unfolding allows for the dramatic evolution of the music, culminating in a multi-part cyclical work.

Each mugham-dastgah conveys a profound artistic narrative, reflecting the spiritual journey of an individual through a range of emotional states (makams or stops).

These evoke a spectrum of sentiments in the audience, from feelings of strength and vitality (Rast), cheerful lyricism (Shur), deep affection (Segah), and poignant sorrow (Shushter), to moments of passionate intensity (Chargah), profound melancholy (Bayaty-Shiraz), and a deeper sorrow still (Humayun).

The International Mugham Center was established on the initiative of the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mehriban Aliyeva, under the presidential decree dated April 6, 2005.

The center, which laid its foundation that same year and is known as one of Baku's unique architectural projects, opened its doors in 2008.

The design of the building was based on the elements and shapes of the tar, an Azerbaijani musical instrument used in performing mugham. The center was built with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

In 2024, the Mugham Center became the first cultural institution in Azerbaijan to be awarded "international" status by legislation.

The Center regularly organises large-scale music festivals and concerts by highly acclaimed cultural figures.

It also takes important steps towards bolstering cultural ties with Turkiye, Poland, Brazil, Uzbekistan, Morocco, and other countries.

The International Mugham Center is determined to further expand its work and promote Azerbaijani musical culture.

Numerous projects are being carried out by the center in the direction of studying and promoting mugham art.