Azerbaijani music takes center stage at New York composers’ gala (PHOTO)

Photo: State Committee for Work with Diaspora

BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 12. A gala concert for the International Composers’ Competition, organized by the National Music & Global Culture Society based in New York City, took place in New York.

This was reported by the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Meanwhile, it was noted that the event took place with the support of the State Committee on Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the world-famous Lincoln Center in New York.

The evening was attended by representatives of the Permanent Missions of Azerbaijan and Türkiye to the UN, diplomats, art lovers, and members of the local community.

At the competition’s final concert, which featured composers from various countries, new works inspired by the musical heritage of the Turkic peoples were performed. The presentation of traditional music combined with contemporary compositional approaches delighted the audience.

Nargiz Aliyarova, Founder and President of the National Music & Global Culture Society, Honored Artist, and renowned pianist, performed works by Gara Garayev and Fikrat Amirov, two outstanding representatives of the Azerbaijani school of composition. Her performance was met with great interest and applause.

In her speech, Nargiz Aliyarova noted that the competition was created to introduce and promote Azerbaijani music around the world. She emphasized that over time, the scope of the project has expanded to include the musical heritage of other Turkic peoples. She noted that the competition encourages composers from different countries to draw upon this musical heritage and creates an opportunity to bring it to an international audience through new compositions.

According to the jury’s decision, first place went to Şafak Alıcıoğlu from Türkiye, second place to Federico Beilinson from Argentina, and third place to Xun Wang from China. The winners were awarded certificates and cash prizes.

Federico Beilinson and Xun Wang, the winners of the competition, delivered speeches and shared their impressions of the event and the competition.

As part of the gala concert, the “Critics’ Choice Award,” established by the Itzhak Mavashev Foundation, was also presented. The award, given for contemporary compositions that vividly reflect national and cultural identity, was presented to Rovshan Nepesov, a composer from Turkmenistan.
The cash prize of $500 was presented by the foundation’s executive director, music critic, and editor-in-chief of The Bukharian Times, Rafael Nektalov.