Gabala International Music Festival
Encyclopedia
Gabala International Music Festival is an annual festival of classical music held every summer beginning in 2009 in Gabala
, Azerbaijan
. The festival is organised with the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation
at the initiative of the rector of the Baku Academy of Music
Farhad Badalbeyli
and conductor Dmitri Yablonski. At this festival, musicians perform in the open air. Participants have included musicians from Europe
, the US
and Israel
, as well as musicians from republics of the former USSR
. In 2009, a contest of young pianists was held at the same time with the musical festival. Jazz
and mugham
evenings were held along with classical music concerts. In 2010, the festival was held on August. General director of UNESCO
Irina Bokova
was in the opening ceremony of the festival. The festival began with the performance of overture from Uzeyir Hajibeyov's
"Koroglu" opera as in 2009. Opening ceremony of the festival was charged to Royal Philarmonic Orchestra
. Such musicians as Dmitri Yablonski, Yuri Bashmet
, Khloe Khanslip and other Azerbaijani and foreign musicians took part in the festival. In 2011, the festival lasted from July 15 to August 5.
Qabala
Qabala is a rayon of Azerbaijan. Its administrative center is the historic town of Qəbələ, which in ancient times was known as the capital of Caucasian Albania....
, Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. The festival is organised with the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation
Heydar Aliyev Foundation
The Heydar Aliyev Foundation is a charitable foundation headed by Azerbaijan's First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. The foundation is named in honor of Azerbaijan's former leader, the late Heydar Aliyev, who was the father of Aliyeva's husband, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.- History :Heydar...
at the initiative of the rector of the Baku Academy of Music
Baku Academy of Music
The Hajibeyov Baku Academy of Music is a music school in Baku, Azerbaijan. It was established in 1920 in Baku and was previously known as the Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatoire.-History:...
Farhad Badalbeyli
Farhad Badalbeyli
Farhad Shamsi oglu Badalbeyli is an Azerbaijani pianist and composer.He is the son of Leyla and Shamsi Badalbeyli.Badalbeyli, a People's Artist of the USSR , won in 1968, ex-aequo with Viktoria Postnikova, the 4th edition of Lisbon' Vianna da Motta International Music Competition...
and conductor Dmitri Yablonski. At this festival, musicians perform in the open air. Participants have included musicians from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, as well as musicians from republics of the former USSR
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In 2009, a contest of young pianists was held at the same time with the musical festival. Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and mugham
Mugham
Mugam also known as Azerbaijani Mugham is one of the many folk musical compositions from Azerbaijan, contrast with Tasnif, Ashugs. Mugam draws on Iranian-Arabic-Turkish Maqam....
evenings were held along with classical music concerts. In 2010, the festival was held on August. General director of UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Irina Bokova
Irina Bokova
Irina Georgieva Bokova is a Bulgarian politician, incumbent Directors-General of UNESCO. She was member of the Bulgarian Parliament from the Bulgarian Socialist Party for two terms, minister and deputy minister of foreign affairs in the socialist cabinet of Prime Minister Zhan Videnov, and was...
was in the opening ceremony of the festival. The festival began with the performance of overture from Uzeyir Hajibeyov's
Uzeyir Hajibeyov
Uzeyir bey Abdul Hussein oglu Hajibeyov was an Azerbaijani and Soviet composer, conductor, publicist, playwright, teacher, translator, and social figure from Azerbaijan. He is recognized as the father of Azerbaijani classical music and opera...
"Koroglu" opera as in 2009. Opening ceremony of the festival was charged to Royal Philarmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
. Such musicians as Dmitri Yablonski, Yuri Bashmet
Yuri Bashmet
Yuri Abramovich Bashmet is a Russian conductor and violist.Direct patrilineal descendant of Besht.-Biography:Yuri Bashmet was born on 24 January 1953 in Rostov-on-Don in the family of Abram Borisovich Bashmet and Maya Zinovyeva Bashmet . "Father's mother, Tsilya Efimovna, studied singing at the...
, Khloe Khanslip and other Azerbaijani and foreign musicians took part in the festival. In 2011, the festival lasted from July 15 to August 5.