Khadija Zeynalova - PhD in art history (Germany), composer, researcher, musicologist, associate professor of Detmold Academy of Music in Germany, artistic director of Bridge of Sound orchestra in Germany, founder and chairman of Bridge of Sound society, founder and artistic director of the "Harmony of Sound" International Music Festival in Germany. Author of more than 40 scientific books, works, and textbooks published in Germany, the Netherlands, England, Azerbaijan, and Japan.
She was awarded the title of “Composer and Art Worker of the Year” in Germany in 2024. As the first Azerbaijani composer and musicologist, Khadija Zeynalova is a recipient of the prestigious Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarship in Germany, DAAD Scholarship, Scholarship of the German Ministry of Culture, Scholarship of the German Ministry of Culture of North Rhine-Westphalia, GVL Foundation Scholarship, GEMA Foundation Scholarship, and Musikfonds Foundation Scholarship.
Trend News Agency presents an interview with the famous composer, researcher, artistic director of Bridge of Sound orchestra Khadija Zeynalova, living in Germany.
Khadija, we know that you received your first musical education in Azerbaijan. Then you moved to Germany to continue your education. How do you remember the period of your education in Germany? What do the musical education of the two countries have in common?
Yes, I received my first musical education at Music School. Then, from 1990 through 1994 I studied at the Music College on music theory, in 1994-2000 at the Baku Music Academy, specializing in composition and musicology. I successfully completed my bachelor's and master's degrees.
Continuing my studies in Germany, I studied composition at the Detmold Conservatory in 2005-2006 under the guidance of Professor Martin Christoph Redel, and then from 2006 through 2012, I studied at the doctoral program of the University of Paderborn under the guidance of Professor Dr. Werner Kyle. I was honored to be the first Azerbaijani composer and musicologist to defend my dissertation there on “Azerbaijan's twentieth-century musical culture and trends in Western music”. It is also the first 400-page scientific work written in German on Azerbaijani musical culture.
During my years of study, I participated in numerous contemporary music festivals in Germany and Europe. The festival of contemporary music in Donaueschingen, the festival in Darmstadt, chamber music days in Witten, and Beethoven festivals are just some of them.
In addition, it was of great advantage for me to know and observe the performances of such world-famous composers as Pierre Boulez, Wolfgang Rihm, Mauricio Kagel, György Kurtág, Dieter Mack, Krzysztof Meyer, as well as conductors such as Kurt Masur.
As for the similarity of Azerbaijani and German systems of music education, in both countries bachelor's and master's degrees have a similar structure. However, the German education system pays more attention to practice and prepares students for the professional environment from an early age. Moreover, while German music education is more research-oriented, in Azerbaijan there is more emphasis on practical musical skills. In essence, this means that both systems complement each other.
You wrote your scholarly work in German. How did it feel to prepare such an extensive study on Azerbaijani music in German, and how long did it take?
When I first started my studies in Germany, I was exploring the libraries and books available there. Unfortunately, after some research, I realized that in the large encyclopedic volumes, like the MGG (Musicalisches Lexikon), there was only a brief half-page mention of composers Gara Garayev and Faraj Garayev, written by my professor, the musicologist Zumrud Dadashzade, from Baku.
Seeing this, I made the decision that once I completed my studies in composition, I would apply for a doctoral program in musicology. I thought to myself that, living in a country like Germany, I absolutely had to write a scholarly work about the rich music culture of Azerbaijan. My doctoral studies and the writing of my dissertation in German took six years (2006–2012). In 2012, I successfully defended my dissertation. The following year, my work was published by the renowned German publishing house Peter Lang and was distributed worldwide.
Writing my dissertation in German on "The 20th Century Music Culture of Azerbaijan and the Trends of Western Music" as the first Azerbaijani composer was a great honor and responsibility for me.
In 2024, you were recognized as Composer of the Year in Germany. What category did you win in, and what achievements or steps were necessary for this victory?
Yes, 2024 has been a very significant year for me. Being awarded the titles "Composer of the Year" and "Artist in Residence" by the German Ministry of Culture and the Klosterlandschaft OWL International Festival is, in my opinion, one of the most valuable events in my 20 years of work in Germany and my overall 35-year creative journey. Creative people are chosen by God, and when their work is valued so highly, it only leads to further development and perfection. Most importantly, this recognition is an appreciation of my creativity.
Of course, being honored with such a nomination as an Azerbaijani female composer in a country like Germany—where culture and music are deeply ingrained—fills me with pride and joy.
As part of this nomination, my series of composer concerts held throughout the past year in various German cities were a tremendous success. Additionally, my oratorio, which I composed specifically for this award, was performed with great success by my Bridge of Sound ensemble.
Achieving this victory required many significant accomplishments. I have now been working as a composer in Germany for 20 years. Since 1999, I have been a member of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union, and since 2007, a member of Germany’s Authors’ Rights Organization. I am also a member of the International Alliance "Women in Music." Over the years, I have taken many important steps. I have organized, composed for, and participated in numerous projects, concerts, and festivals. Among the most important projects, I can mention the following:
In my creative career, last year, my third CD album, “Ave Maria Mother Mary”, a three-part composition, was released in both Germany and the United States.
The German media frequently interview you. Could you share with us the most memorable interview you’ve had with them?
Yes, German media regularly conducts interviews with me. Among the numerous interviews, one that stands out the most is the one I gave to Deutschlandfunk Radio, which lasted for one hour. This interview was dedicated to the presentation of my debut CD album Vom Land des Feuers – Wege zwischen Aserbaidschan und Deutschland ("From the Land of Fire – Bridges Between Azerbaijan and Germany"), which was released in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Azerbaijan. It's worth mentioning that this CD album was created with financial support from the German Ministry of Culture.
Additionally, a wide interview featured on the cover of Lippe Reporter magazine holds special significance for me. This interview was related to my recognition as the first Azerbaijani composer to receive the "Composer of the Year and Artist" nomination in Germany.
Furthermore, earlier this year, my new composition Feuertempel – Atəşgah Od Məbədi (Fire Temple – The Temple of Fire) for symphonic orchestra had its premiere performance by the Schleswig-Holstein Symphony Orchestra in seven cities in northern Germany. Following the great success of this piece, I was contacted by Schleswig-Holstein Zeitung newspaper, and a detailed interview was arranged with me. This interview has also been one of the most fascinating ones I've had.
You are the artistic director of the "Bridge of Sound" orchestra. The history behind the creation of this orchestra is quite interesting. Can you tell us about the orchestra's formation and the countries represented by its members?
The idea of creating the "Bridge of Sound" orchestra stemmed from my long-standing desire to deepen the synthesis of Eastern and Western musical cultures. The inspiration for this ensemble came from the renowned German poet and philosopher Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s work, West-östlicher Diwan (East-West Divan). This work greatly reinforced my desire to build musical bridges between different cultures.
The orchestra is highly international, with musicians hailing from a diverse range of countries, including Germany, Austria, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, China, Japan, the United States, Ecuador, Greece, Korea, Azerbaijan, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Türkiye, Portugal, Spain, Poland, Venezuela, and many others. Together, we unite the sounds and spirits of various cultures to present unique musical works.
We have carried out numerous memorable projects with the "Bridge of Sound" orchestra, including our debut CD album Vom Land des Feuers – From the Land of Fire (which was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic) and the concert series For Peace. These projects hold a special place in our journey. Currently, we are actively working on new projects, and we plan to sign more international collaborations in the future.
This CD album was successfully recorded over the course of four days at the renowned Kammermusiksaal hall of the famous German Radio Deutschlandfunk, under the direction of X. Zeynalova, and performed by the Bridge of Sound ensemble. The album, titled Bridges between Azerbaijan and Germany from the Land of Fire, was released by the German CD Dreyer Gaido Musikproduktionen, with the financial support of the German Kunststiftung Foundation.
In 2022-2023, I organized a concert series titled For Peace/Für den Frieden/For Peace, which took place in six different cities across Germany (three concerts in 2022 and three in 2023). These performances featured works by Azerbaijani and world composers, and were successfully executed by the international Bridge of Sound ensemble.
You are also recognized as the creator of a music festival in Germany. Where did the idea for this festival come from? What new experiences does it offer to the German audience?
The idea of creating an international music festival actually originated when I first arrived in Germany. However, I initially got caught up in my studies, focusing on composition and later musicology in my doctoral program. It wasn’t until I established my own orchestra that I was able to bring this idea to life in 2021.
The festival is financed and supported by the German Ministry of Culture, the City of Detmold Municipality, and the State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
This year marks the fifth anniversary of our Harmony of Sound festival in Germany. Every year, the festival is dedicated to the music culture of a particular country. Our first festival focused on Azerbaijani music culture, followed by Ukrainian, Argentine, and Cuban music in subsequent years. The main idea behind the festival is to introduce the German audience to the music of different nations, their folk instruments, contemporary music, and genres, while building a bridge between cultures, people, and musicians.
You are an associate professor at both the Detmold Conservatory and Paderborn University. Which of these institutions do you enjoy teaching at more, and what are the key differences between them? Do you observe any differences in your students at each institution?
As an associate professor, I have nearly 30 years of teaching experience in music theory, piano, and composition (10 years in Azerbaijan and 20 years in Germany) at various educational institutions.
In Germany, I teach undergraduate students at the Detmold Conservatory (Hochschule für Musik Detmold) and Paderborn University, covering music theory subjects such as harmony, solfeggio, music theory, counterpoint, and contemporary music history. Both institutions are dear to me, and I consider them both my academic homes.
There isn't a significant difference between the students at the two institutions, as in both places, they study various instruments at the undergraduate level.
Overall, I deeply enjoy teaching as an associate professor, and I take great pleasure in sharing my knowledge with young students.
Your music has been performed on the most prestigious stages and broadcasted on the most renowned radios in Germany. Could you tell us more about this?
Many of my works have been successfully performed in various cities across Germany and broadcast on prominent radio stations such as MDR Radio, WDR Radio, Deutschlandfunk, Radio Bremen, SWR Radio, SWR2, Cosmo Radio, and RBB Berlin.
Since 2007, my compositions have been widely presented in different cities and prestigious radio stations across Germany. For instance, in Leipzig, my music was featured on MDR Radio; in Munich, on Bayerischer Rundfunk Radio; in Cologne, on Deutschlandfunk Radio; in Berlin, on RBB; in Bremen, on Radio Bremen; in Cologne, on WDR3 Radio; in Berlin, on Cosmo Radio; and in Baden-Baden, on SWR2 Radio. Many of my CD albums, including "Vom Land des Feuers – Wege zwischen Aserbaidschan und Deutschland" (Bridges between Azerbaijan and Germany), "Heinrich and Leyla", and "Ave Maria – Mother Mary", have been presented to German audiences.
Additionally, my works have been performed at contemporary music concerts and international music festivals in various countries, including Germany (Detmold, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Leipzig, etc.), Austria (Vienna, Linz), the United Kingdom (London, Manchester, Liverpool), Hungary, Oman, Türkiye, Italy, France, Switzerland, Northern Cyprus, Georgia, Canada, the United States, Greece, and many other countries, enjoying great success on prestigious stages.
What was the "Heinrich and Leyla" project dedicated to? What is the plotline?
"Heinrich and Leyla" is a composition consisting of 18 sections written for a large chamber orchestra. I composed this piece based on the eponymous work of Azerbaijani playwright and writer Amir Pahlivani.
Our project is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the presence of Germans in Azerbaijan and the friendship between Azerbaijan and Germany.
Looking back at history, we see that 200 years ago, many German families migrated to Azerbaijan. During this period, they established eight German settlements in Azerbaijan, playing a significant role in the country's culture, economy, and overall social development.
The plot of the piece is as follows: The events of the work take place in the city of Annenfeld (present-day Shamkir) in Azerbaijan during the years 1937-1938. The central theme of this dramatic piece is the great love story between Heinrich, a German, and Leyla, an Azerbaijani. The story unfolds in 1942 in Annenfeld (now Shamkir), Azerbaijan.
In 2022, my second CD album, "Heinrich and Leyla," was released in the United States. This CD album was funded by the Azerbaijani Diaspora Support Fund.
