BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 20. A concert commemorating the centenary of the esteemed Azerbaijani musician, clarinetist, saxophonist, conductor, composer, and People's Artist of Azerbaijan Tofig Ahmadov (1924–1981) is scheduled for December 24 at 19:00 (GMT+4) at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Trend reports.
The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijani People's Artist Natavan Sheikhova and her spouse, the renowned saxophonist Rafig Seyidzade, were among those who worked closely with Ahmadov during the Soviet years.
"I met Tofig Ahmadov in 1965, when I had just become a soloist with the Azerbaijan State Estrada Orchestra conducted by Rauf Hajiev. After hearing my performance at one of the concerts, Tofig Ahmadov started inviting me to perform with the Azerbaijan Radio’s Estrada Orchestra, where he was the conductor. My first song with the ensemble was the lyrical composition ‘Nargiz’ by the great composer Gara Garayev. We became close friends. In those years, I performed with both Rauf Hajiev's and Tofig Ahmadov's orchestras. We also met and became friends with famous composers, including Emin Sabitoglu, Oktay Kazimov, Tofig Babayev, Elza Ibrahimova, and others. We toured many cities across the Soviet Union and performed on Soviet Central Television. Tofig Ahmadov attracted talented performers and composers to his orchestra, creating a generation of outstanding musicians. It was a true talent forge! We were all young, but we were provided with every opportunity for creative development. We worked together from 1965 until his death in 1981," Natavan Sheykhova said.
"Tofig Ahmadov was an extraordinary man, an outstanding personality, not just in music but in life. He was the kindest person, warm-hearted, and a true intellectual. He was also very generous, helping musicians with many things, including getting apartments or installing phones in their homes, which was very difficult at that time. Most importantly, Tofig Ahmadov created a golden legacy for pop music. All the recordings stored in the archives of State Radio and Television are of immense value to our culture," Rafig Seyidzade said.
The concert program will feature the Estrada-Symphony Orchestra of the Azerbaijan State Song Theater named after Rashid Behbudov, People's Artists Natavan Sheykhova, Enver Sadygov and his ensemble "Gaytaghy," Salman Gambarov and his group Bakustic Jazz, as well as popular performers Ilham Gasimov, Aynur Iskenderli, Nigar Jalilova, and Rovshan Gahramanov. The anniversary concert will showcase all aspects of Tofig Ahmadov’s work, including both his famous pieces and lesser-known compositions that will be performed for the first time in many years. Additionally, beloved works by Azerbaijan's great composers Uzeyir Hajibeyli, Niyazi, Fikret Amirov, Gara Garayev, Tofig Guliyev, Rauf Hajiyev, and Emin Sabitoglu will be presented in new arrangements.
Tickets are available at all city box offices and online by following the link down below: https://iticket.az/ru/events/concerts/tofig-ahmadov-100/136767.
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