Presentation ceremony of album "Garabag singers"

On April 8 at "Gulustan" palace presentation ceremony was held for album "Garabag singers" in frame of project "Azerbaijani mughams" of Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, President of Foundation of Friends of Azerbaijani Culture.

Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the ceremony:

- Dear ceremony participants! Welcome to presentation ceremony of album "Garabag singers". Album "Garabag singers" is first album of project "Mugham-heritage". Each of you received this album as gift. I believe that while having familiarization with this album you have felt that we have prepared it with so big responsibility and from another hand with great love. It is not accidental that our first project is devoted to Garabag singers. We inform all the world about grief of Garabag land, fair voice of Azerbaijan through mugham.

This album was presented in annual meeting of goodwill ambassadors at UNESCO HQ in March of this year and caused very big attention and interest. Very less time has passed since my first meeting with mugham masters but much has been done in this period. Sounding of mugham destgahs at Philharmonic is already a tradition. Decision was adopted on construction of mugham center, mugham encyclopedia is being prepared. Tractates devoted to art of mugham are translated and published. All these steps are results of our joint efforts. Today I want to express my deep gratitude and respect to all masters of mugham of Azerbaijan, our artists, scientists, every one who loves mugham.

Mugham is already a wealth of not Azerbaijan only as well of all the world. Our goal is to protect, develop mugham, hand in beauty and deep philosophy of mugham to future generations. I wish successes to each of us in this way and announce the ceremony open.

Then mugham parts were sounded in performance of 24 singers, whose records are included album "Garabag singers". Unique examples of art of mugham of our people, performances of unrepeatable singers of all the East Jabbar Garyagdioglu, Kechechi oglu Mahammad, Mashadi Mahammad Farzaliyev, Mejid Behbudov, Seyid Shushinsky, Khan Shushinsky, Islam Abdullayev, Bulbul, Zulfu Adigozalov, Abulfat Aliyev, modern mugham masters were welcomed with big interest. Amazing performance of masters of mugham was accompanied by show of shots of documentary film prepared under leadership of director Khamis Muradov at studio "Salname" in frame of project, invaluable beauties of land of Azerbaijan that raised such unique singers, were revived in front of eyes once again, as if called to fight for release of our native lands that are under feet of enemy, under occupation at the moment. Yes, land, which is source of such a miraculous music, cannot remain under occupation of enemy!

Wonderful voice and great performance of "Garabag nightingales" assured that future of art of mugham, rich treasure of culture of our nation, is in reliable hands.

People's artist Habil Aliyev made a speech at the end of ceremony on behalf of his colleagues and said that today is holiday of performers of folk music, but it is not a value given only to our music, performers as well to national cultural wealth of our people. I express my gratitude on behalf of all people of art to UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva for her care about protection and propaganda of our mughams. Really very big work has been done and we are grateful to all you for this charity.

At the presentation ceremony were present Milli Mejlis Speaker Murtuz Elesgerov, head of President's Office Ramiz Mehdiyev, deputies of parliament speaker and prime minister, figures of science, culture and art of republic, reps of diplomatic corps in Azerbaijan. officials were present in concert held successfully.