Ganja hosts closing ceremony of project dedicated to eminent composer

Ganja has hosted closing ceremony of the project "Cultural Heritage of the People" (Xalq?n m?d?ni s?rv?ti) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the prominent composer, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Suleyman Alasgarov, Azernews reports.

The project was organized by the Ganja State Philharmonic Hall with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry Central Aran, Shirvan-Salyan, Shaki-Zagatala, Gazakh-Tovuz Regional Departments of Culture.

The closing ceremony was attended by government and public figures, representatives of culture and science, members of the composer's family, Honored Artists of Azerbaijan Tahir Imanov and Jabir Imanov.

A photo exhibition reflecting the life and work of the composer was organized before the start of the event.

Philharmonic Folk Instruments Orchestra under the direction of artistic director and chief conductor Khayal Gahramanov, People's Artist Shahnaz Gashimova, Honored Artists Tural Abdullayev, Kamala Taghizade, Honored Cultural Worker Mehpara Jafarova, singers Gaya Nasibzade, Ali Mammadov, Rustam Jafarov, Maharram Gasimov, Samira Gadzhieva, Musa Bayramov, Azer Vardiyev, Zamina Nuriyeva, Aysel Hasanova, Bayram Uzeyirova thrilled the audience with Suleyman Alasgarov's compositions.

Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az and Milli.Az.

Suleyman Alasgarov was born on February 22, 1924 in the city of Shusha. In 1948, having graduated with honors from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory (now the Baku Music Conservatory), he became the director of the Baku Music School.

From 1949 to 1951, he worked as an artistic director of the orchestra of the Azerbaijan Cinematography Committee.

In 1951-1952, Suleyman Alasgarov was the director of the Song and Dance Ensemble of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic (now the Azerbaijan State Academic Philharmonic named after Muslim Magomayev).

In 1954-1956, he headed of the Art Affairs Department at the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry.

From 1956 to 1958, Suleyman Alasgarov conducted the Azerbaijan State Orchestra of Folk Instruments,

Since 1958, he has been a teacher, and since 1968 an associate professor at the conservatory.

In 1958-1960, Suleyman Alasgarov worked as an artistic director of the Republican Committee on Television and Radio Broadcasting, then for 11 years, from 1960 to 1971, he was the director and chief conductor of the Musical Comedy Theater (now the Azerbaijan State Academic Musical Theater).

Since 1970, Suleyman Alasgarov headed the educational and methodological council for musical and aesthetic education under the Ministry of Education of the Azerbaijan SSR. From 1991 to 2000, he served as the director of the Shusha branch of the Conservatory, created on his own initiative.

Suleyman Alasgarov wrote two operas, twelve operettas, two symphonies, a symphonic mugham "Bayaty-Shiraz", overtures for a symphony orchestra, two symphonic poems, six cantatas, works in various genres for choir and orchestra of folk instruments and about 200 songs and romances. He is also the author of many musical compositions for documentaries and the feature film "Ulduz".

He is also the author of a number of textbooks for secondary schools.

Suleyman Alasgarov passed away on January 21, 2000.