Under the patronage of President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the International Delphic Committee, the 20th Anniversary Youth Delphic Games of the CIS Member States were held in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. One of the goals of this cultural forum is to foster tolerance and respect for the cultures of other nations and peoples.
Students from the Maya Kuliyeva Turkmen National Conservatory took part in the Delphic Games for the second time. On both occasions, Seyran Atanyazov has brought home a silver award for Turkmenistan.
We asked Stella Faramazova, Senior Lecturer in the Chamber Ensemble Department and an accompanist who accompanied the students to this creative forum, to share her impressions of the trip.
“It was an extremely busy week, filled with rehearsals, performances, and opportunities to meet other participants in the Games,” explained Stella Vladimirovna. “But we gained an enormous amount of experience. We listened with great interest to folk and contemporary music from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The participants exchanged sheet music, and Turkmen music was also in great demand. We will now add their compositions to our repertoire, while works by Turkmen composers will be featured in their programs.”
Our country was represented at the Games by fifth-year Conservatory student Seyran Atanyazov, competing in the “Violin” category, and two first-year students: Asel Ruslanova, in the “Academic Singing” category, and Anna Veliakhmedova, in the “Pop Vocal” category. The students are talented and have considerable creative potential. The standard of preparation among all participants, without exception, was very high, making the competition for prizes exceptionally intense.
Seyran represented the Turkmen violin school with distinction, performing with a light touch and virtuoso technique. However, the Russian violinist proved just a fraction stronger. The expert jury, chaired by renowned Kazakh cultural figure D. Kaseinov, awarded Seyran Atanyazov second place. This is the Turkmen student’s second silver award at the Delphic Games: he also won a silver medal in 2023.
“Of course, this time I was hoping to win,” said Seyran, shrugging slightly. “But it didn’t work out. Still, competing against such strong rivals is very interesting: you immediately understand which direction you need to take next. That is why I am pleased with my participation in the Delphic Games.”
Another participant from Turkmenistan, Asel Ruslanova, has a high, clear coloratura soprano voice. Like Seyran Atanyazov, she is participating in the Delphic Games for the second time, but this is her first appearance in the “Academic Singing” category. On her previous visit, when she represented the Dashoguz Music College, she tested her abilities in the pop genre.
Asel gave a very impressive performance. Securing fourth place while competing against award-winning vocalists from Kazakhstan is also a significant achievement.
Anna Veliakhmedova performed a Turkmen folk song as well as pop works by foreign composers. Her performance earned her an honorary diploma. The valuable experience she gained from fellow performers will undoubtedly help her achieve success in upcoming competitions.
The Delphic Games contribute to the professional development of young cultural figures, strengthen ties between countries, and promote intercultural dialogue.