Arts & culture

AZERI COMPOSER GAINS INT’L RECOGNITION

A renowned Azeri composer Farhang Husseinov has won the first prize at the international Jose Asuncion Flores musical competition in Asuncion, Paraguay, secretary of the Union of Composers Ramiz Zohrabov told Azernews Saturday.

Mr. Husseinov was awarded for his symphonic capriccio "Guarani", which will also be performed by symphonic orchestras of Buenos Aires, Asuncion and Madrid.

The winner has been invited to Paraguay to attend prize-giving ceremony and participate in the rehearsal of his capriccio.

BROADWAY IN BAKU

From February 17-23 American Voices will return for its 5th project in Azerbaijan. Bringing the first performances of an American Broadway musical to Baku, the project will feature Azerbaijani and American musicians in a concert performance of excerpts from Leonard Bernstein's "West Side Story" and George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess".

The performance is being sponsored by US embassy, Unocal, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Lufthansa, Radisson Hotel, Devon Energy Corporation, and ISR Group.

In what promises to be another exciting musical first for Azerbaijani audiences, American Voices will spend 6 intensive days preparing a concert version of the musical featuring 15 of Azerbaijan's most talented singers accompanied by the Orchestra of the Music Academy under the direction of Azad Aliyev and David Handel. In addition, American Voices artists John Ferguson (pianist and artistic director) and Ira Spaulding (baritone), along with Azerbaijani soprano, Gulnaz Ismaylova, will sing excerpts from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess".

The project will culminate in a public performance on February 22 in the Great Hall of the Music Academy at 7 p.m.

Another important part of the project will include a donation of American music scores and pedagogical materials to the Music Academy as well as master-classes for singers and conductors.

«This is American Voices’ first project in Azerbaijan, says John Ferguson. We wanted to combine American expertise in the Broadway repertoire («West Side Story» and «Porgy and Bess») with Azeri talented singers and orchestra. Over the years, I have become a big fan and supporter of Azeri Mugham, Folk, popular (Tofiq Guliyev) and classical (Garayev) composers. Also very impressive is the Azeri jazz tradition combining American modern jazz with Azeri Mugham and Folk music. I hope this music continues to be discovered by the outside world.»

FEBRUARY 21 - DAY OF MOTHER TONGUE

UNESCO has announced February 21 as International Day of mother tongue. Director of the Nasimi Language Institute under the Academy of Sciences Aghamusa Akhundov told Azernews Tuesday that the Institute had hosted a conference on this occasion. Besides, the Institute has received a certificate and a letter of acknowledgement for the effort undertaken to prepare the "World languages" book published by UNESCO.

US SCHOLAR - HONORARY PROFESSOR OF AZERI SCHOOL

The academic council of Azerbaijan International University (AIU) decided recently to award Minnesota University Professor Darrel Lewis the title of honorary professor of AIU. The diploma was handed by the president of the University, Doctor of Law Elshad Abdullayev.

Addressing the council meeting in the Azeri language was the US embassy attaché for public relations Mr. James Seward.

Prof. Darrel Lewis, who spent nearly two weeks at Azerbaijan International University, announced that the University of Minnesota and Azerbaijan International University have won US Department of State 2000 NIS college and university partnership program.

The AIU and 151-year-old Minnesota University established contacts 3 years ago, as the two parties have repeatedly discussed problems of education both in Azerbaijan and the US.

WEEK OF AZERI FILMS DUE IN MARCH

A traditional week of Azeri films will be held from March 23 till 30, "AzerKinoVideo" (Azeri film and video) told Azernews Saturday.

The campaign is expected to focus on demonstration of new feature and documentary films and animated cartoons, and meetings with celebrated cinema stars.

The activities will be arranged outside Baku as well.