Participants of International music forum give master classes for beginning performers

International scientific conference and festival “Ancient Sources of Music Art” has come to the end in Ashgabat. Representative forum gathered humanitarian scientists and art masters from 13 countries in Turkmen land. 

More than 50 reports has been presented and discussed during plenary and three section sessions of the conference, wide range of subjects of comprehensive study and popularization of music heritage of the nations of the world has been reviewed. 

Topical issues of cultural inter-influence, comparative analysis of the sources of music art, use of modern technologies in protection of original audio and video materials and their distribution were the main subjects of the scientists’ discussion. 

Scientific conference that brought together the scientists and specialists from all over the world attracted great attention to spiritual heritage of our nation. It was mentioned in the speeches that Turkmen music culture is one of the components of spiritual and intellectual world process, hence the studies in this field have fundamental importance and are able to serve as the key to understanding of the sources of national art. 

Musical traditions of the participating countries were presented in the concert programme on the stage of Magtumguly National Music and Drama Theatre. Bright costumes, ancient musical instruments, music and songs that carry away to the depth of the centuries created a feeling of big festival of peace and fraternity. 

Destans and ancient epics tellers – Turkmen Gyorogly and Kyrgyz Manas, Korean fables and Japanese folklore, Azerbaijani mugam and Uzbek makoms, performed on one stage replacing each other. Afghan and Iranian melodies interwove with Indian songs and traditional ethnic music of Turkey and Saudi Arabia nations. 

Similarity of the sources of national art and what is more important, the similarity of its peace-making, creative basis, was clearly traced in this choir. Therefore, joint performances of Turkmen and foreign musicians, who demonstrated unbelievable harmony in performance of the compositions, organically fit in the programme of the festival. 

Spectators meet French “ude” player with the interest; national Turkmen tunes and songs sounded wonderfully in the guests’ interpretation. Many of artist are outstanding performing masters who also do scientific studies in national music art. Festival concert was completed by everlasting ancient Turkmen kushtdepdy, the dance that was recognized as a universal value. 

On the next day, artistic forum was continued in round-table format in Turkmen State Institute of Culture as well as by the master classes given by our guests to the student and teachers of profile art educational institutes in Specialized music boarding school. 

International forum was one of the brightest events in cultural life of the capital. The music lovers have another wonderful present – additional concert of instrumental ensemble from India directed by Vinod Gang Dhar Lalen, in Watan Cinema and Concert Hall on April 20. 

The outcomes of the work of International scientific conference and festival “Ancient Sources of Music Art” were summed up during the closing ceremony in the Mukams Palace of the State Cultural Centre. The participants of the forum spoke for activation of work on study and popularization of musical heritage. 

According to the participants, current forum made considerable input into intensification of international scientific and cultural contacts. It was highlighted that strong voice of Turkmenistan, its own role in general choir of cultures, unique face in among the nations of the world were mainly caused by the adherence to spiritual sources, careful protection of national heritage and original music art traditions made by the wisdom of the ancestors. 

The participants noted that conducting of such representative forum in Turkmenistan brightly indicates the most serious and greatest attention that the country pays to the development of culture and art, which are the priority directions of the state policy and establishment of multidimensional international scientific and cultural exchange. 

The participants of scientific conference and festival spoke for continuation of close fruitful cooperation and expressed the gratitude to the host for cordial welcome.