World of Mugham Int'l Music Festival on verge of starting

To promote the art of mugham, a genre rightly celebrated as the jewel of Azerbaijan's rich musical legacy, the 7th World of Mugham International Music Festival will be held from June 17 to 22.

Organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, this prestigious event aims to showcase and preserve the cultural significance of mugham on the global stage.

The festival will feature over 50 performers, scholars, and distinguished guests from more than 25 countries, including Turkiye, Germany, Spain, Morocco, Iraq, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Canada, India, Norway, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, and Switzerland.

The festivities will commence on June 17 at the Heydar Aliyev Palace with an opening concert titled "Bayati," highlighting the deep-rooted traditions of mugham.

A key highlight of the festival is an international competition among young talents from Azerbaijan, Turkiye, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, and China.

More than 30 emerging singers and instrumentalists will compete, showcasing the next generation of mugham artists.

The concert program also includes an interactive sound performance in Icherisheher inspired by the "Mugham Hour" broadcast of Azerbaijan Radio from the 1950s-60s, a symposium dedicated to the theoretical and practical contributions of the 13th-century musicologist Safiaddin Urmavi, and the Mugham 12 music marathon. Well-known Azerbaijani mugham performers will also deliver concert performances.

The festival will culminate with the closing ceremony at the Aghdam Mugham Center in liberated Garabagh, the birthplace of mugham.

The opening of this center on May 10 was marked by President Ilham Aliyev's praise for the facilities established there, along with a recommendation to regularly host mugham festivals and competitions at this venue. Hosting the final concert of the competition at the Aghdam Mugham Center will symbolize not only the enduring art of mugham but also the spiritual and cultural revival of the Azerbaijani people in these reclaimed lands.

The World of Mugham International Music Festival stands as a significant international event dedicated to the preservation, performance, and scholarly study of Azerbaijani mugham and related musical traditions recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Since its inception in 2009, organized with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the festival has been held biennially, with previous editions in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2023.

It brings together performers, musicians, researchers, and cultural figures from around the world, fostering intercultural dialogue and contributing to the safeguarding and promotion of this invaluable musical heritage.