A fifteen-minute music video about four traditional players of Azerbaijani music on tour across the U.S. state of Montana has won an Award of Merit in the short film/documentary category at the La Jolla, California 2009 Accolade Film Festival Competition.
'The Mystical Music of Mugham Comes to Montana' detailed the exhausting cross-cultural musical road trip of the group Qadim Sharq ('Ancient East') across the Treasure State, with performances at Rocky Mountain College in Billings in the east, the music department of Montana State University in Bozeman in south-central Montana, the Livingston library on the Yellowstone River, and finally at the University of Montana at Missoula in the west, where the group was joined by famed American mugham specialist Jeffery Werbock for a final concert/jam session. Along the way, the group opened the ears of hundreds of locals to the magic of the mystical, non-rhythmic, modal music of Azerbaijan--mugham.
"We are pleased we could honor you for your high quality production and for being an important part of the Accolade Competition," said Dr. Thomas Baker, chairperson of The Accolade, the director of Mugham, Montana State University professor Thomas Goltz told Trend . "The Accolade is not an easy award to win."
The Mystical Music of Mugham' was shot by cameraperson Randy Jacobs with extra footage shot by Ian Clark, and edited by Katy Magruder of the Montana Sprout Group. Special logistical assistance was provided by Vahid Alekbarov, a refugee from Armenian-occupied Karabakh, who is now a resident in Billings and Elin Suleymanov, Consul General of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Los Angeles and the thirteen western US states, including Montana. The executive producer was Tale Heydarov, Chairman of The European Azerbaijan Society, or TEAS
"It was a tremendous, team effort and I would like to thank everyone involved," said Goltz, a noted author on Azerbaijan and the post-Soviet Caucasus countries of Georgia and Chechnya. "It is a delight to be explaining Azerbaijani art and culture as opposed to war and political collapse."
The Accolade, now in its fifth year, recognizes film, television and videography professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity. Entries are judged by highly qualified professionals in the film and television industry.
The first prize of the 2009 Accolade was awarded to a Canadian IMAX production entitled Science North, described as a 'rallying cry for protection of the Great Lakes.'