Enlightenment may not be massive. A scientist, a poet, a composer, an artist, a writer, an actor - all these are unique people with innate talent.
Heydar Aliyev
Inauguration of the 12th Gabala Music Festival takes place
On July 31st, inauguration of the 12th Gabala Music Festival – held with the organizational support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, enjoying the support of the Education and Cultural ministries of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Baku Music Academy – took place.
This year’s festival is dedicated to a significant event - the 100th anniversary of the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeir Hajibeyli. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a Resolution on May 26, 2021, in connection with holding jubilee events. Holding of a number of events is expected in districts of the republic, as well as at musical education establishments. The 12th Gabala Music Festival too is one of the events dedicated to the jubilee.
The congratulation letter to festival participants by First Vice-president of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva, who has exclusive merits in the development and promotion of music culture in the country, was read at the ceremony held on an open scene at the “Gafgaz Hotel”.
The letter states:
“Dear festival participants!
Ladies and gentlemen!
I would like to greet all the participants and guests of the 12th Gabala Music Festival, wish successes to the Festival’s work, and deliver my best wishes to all of you.
Having been traditionally held since 2009, the Gabala International Music Festival has been famous also beyond the boundaries of our republic, making its great contribution to the strengthening of intercultural dialogue, along with preserving rich traditions of our cultural heritage.
The year 2020, when the festival did not take place due to the coronavirus pandemic that the whole world was struggling against, is eternally engraved in the memory of our people and our history with the 44-day Patriotic War and the Glorious Victory of the triumphal Azerbaijani Army. Eternal Azerbaijani lands that had been under occupation about 30 years were liberated and the territorial integrity of the country was restored!
Based on the instruction by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, who declared Shusha - the crown of Karabakh - as the cultural capital of the country, the Kharybulbul Music Festival was restored in May this year with the organizational support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Long-year melancholy of art-lovers for listening to Azerbaijani music on the legendary Jydyr Plain was put an end to.
Dear Friends!
Building and advancing an intercultural dialogue between various civilisations and peoples in the globalized world is one of the most important tasks of our time. Dialogue is the best means in the solution of problems and conflicts existing in the world, as well as promotion of mutual respect among different peoples. Having for centuries given its contribution to the advancement of intercultural dialogue, Azerbaijan too has historically made efforts towards mutual enrichment of different nations’ cultures and arts, and strengthening of the unity between peoples further. From this standpoint, I highly appreciate the role of the Gabala Music Festival, which has been held for years.
This year’s festival coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Baku Music Academy, a new type higher music education establishment of the Muslim Orient. A number of generations of our eminent artists, renowned performers who have successfully represented our music art across the world and whose creativity are included in the Azerbaijani music’s golden fund, are graduates of the Baku Music Academy. It is no accident that participants of the 12th Gabala Music Festival too are, basically, teachers, students and graduates of the Baku Music Academy, which has served to the training of professional musicians and studying our classical music heritage.
I wish successes to all participants of the Festival. I hope the audience will be presented an interesting and colourful music program, and the 12th Gabala Music Festival will - as it has always been – remain in the memory of our guests, as well as in the history of Azerbaijani music culture as one of the significant pages”.
Education Minister Emin Amrullayev, rector of the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeir Hajibeyli, People’s Artist of USSR and Azerbaijan, professor, artistic director of the Gabala Music Festival Farhad Badalbeyli spoke at the ceremony.
After the inauguration ceremony, the Special Exemplary Military Orchestra of the Defence Ministry performed with an extensive concert programme.
