The Azerbaijan State Mugam Theater

This theater was established in 1988 in Baku and the artistic master of this theater was the popular artist Islam Rzayev. Head of the theater is the honored art worker, awarded with the medal of honor Arif Gaziyev. This theater is the only professional mugam theater i the east.

Mugam theater has been on tours to many countries as America, Canada, Norway, Syria, Turkey, Germany. Also there are mugam studio and mugam club in this theater.

The Azerbaijan National Conservatoire

This is the national high school in growing up the staff. There were to decrees of the president on establishment the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire: the first 13th of Jule 2000, is about creation of the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire, the second 10th of August 2001, is about creation of pecuniary and technical source of the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire. Under these decrees the Baku Music College and the Republic Art Gymnasium were included to the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire.

In the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire the education is two-stepped. According to Bachelor and Master steps in history-theory faculties are being studied 200 students. In “Folk instruments”, “Solo singing (khanende)”, “Orchestration of folk instruments and profession of conductor”, “The history and theory of the national music”, “Instrumental mugam” departments staff on tar, kamancha, canon, balaban, percussion instruments playing, khanendes (singing), conductors, musicologists, teachers, research workers are trained. Here also scientific laboratories on “The research of the National music” and “The investigation of the national musical instruments” are active.

Professor and teacher staff of the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire are consisted of well-known performers, folk instrument orchestra members, khanendes, conductors and musicologists. The reactor of the Azerbaijan National Conservatoire is the popular artist, professor Siyavush Kerimi. The Azerbaijan National Conservatoire is the member of the League of European Universities of Art and the Turkey High Educational Center under the patronage of the European Community and UNESCO.

The Azerbaijan State University of Art and Culture

It is the high school in training staff in culture and art sphere.It was established as Turkish Theater College by the decree of Azerbaijan Government on 21st of March in 1923. Firstly consisting of producer, drama and opera departments, the first head of this school was the eminent opera singer of Azerbaijan, pedagogue and musicologist, the popular artist of USSR Shovket Mammadova. On August of 1945 on the base of this school the Azerbaijan State Theater Institute was established. In 1954 this Institute was named after Mirzaga Aliyev.

Since 1968 it was called as the Azerbaijan State Institute of Art. In 1991 taking to a point multisectoral of specialities the institute became to the Azerbaijan State University of Art and Culture. Since 1987 till these days the reactor of this University is the honored art worker, doctor of philology, professor Timurchin Ilyas oglu Efendiyev. There are studying more than 2000 students in faculties as “Art Criticism”, “Art of Actor”, “Producer”, “Musicology”, “Art of Painting”, “Culturology”.

The Azerbaijan State Philharmonic society named after Muslim Magomayev

The Azerbaijan State Philharmonic society is one of the big concert associations of Azerbaijan. It was founded under Uzeyir Hajibeyov’s direct in 1936. The Azerbaijan State Song and Dance Ensemble, the Azerbaijan State Symphonic Orchestra named after Uzeyir Hajibeyov, the Chamber Orchestra named after Gara Garayev, the Azerbaijan State Choir, the Azerbaijan State Folk Instrumental Orchestra are concentrated here.

Many of mugam performers of Azerbaijan are the soloist of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic society. In this society temporarily mugam concerts are held. The Azerbaijan State Philharmonic society works under the honored artist of Azerbaijan Murad Adygozelzade’s direct.

The Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater named after Mirza Fatali Akhundov

It is the biggest music theater of Azerbaijan. The history of Azerbaijani opera started in 1908 on 25th of January by Uzeyir Hajibeyovs “Leyli and Majnun” opera (the first opera in the east). All operas by the Azerbaijani composers were staged on the scene of this theater since that day and mugam operas as “Leyli and Majnun”, “Shah Ismayil”, “Ashyg Garib” are played nowadays. During the period of its working on the stage of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater a lot of operas by the Azerbaijan and foreign composers has been played.

A lot of singers performed on the stage of this theater. The main peculiarity of Azerbaijan operas are that the all parts are played by khanendes (singers). A lot of khanendes (singers) are performing as the soloist of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater nowadays. Sakina Ismayilova, Gandab Guliyeva, Nazakat Teymurova, Mansum Ibrahimov, Sabuhi Ibayev are the soloists of this theater. The director of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater is the honored art worker of Azerbaijan Akif Malikov.

The Baku Music Academy

It is the 4 year Secondary Trade Music Technical school named after Asef Zeynally. It was established in 1895-1896 by the graduate of the Tiflis (Tbilisi) and Moscow conservatoires A.N.Yermolayeva, in 1901 worked under the direct of the Russia Music Society Baku department and on the base of it in 1916 the first technical school was established. Here were educated vocal class, to play on violin, violoncello and other musical instruments. The school was named after Asef Zeynally in 1953. By the decision of the Ministry of Education of Azerbaijan Republic in 1999-2000 technical school changed to the Baku Music College. The works of great khanendes (singers) as Seyid Shushinski, Mirza Mansur Mansurov, Gurban Primov and their tradition continuers Ahmad Bakykhanov, Bahram Mansurov, Nariman Aliyev, Hajibaba Huseynov, Alibaba Mammadov, Aghakhan Abdullayev and others are of big importance. The director of the college is the honored art worker, professor Nazim Kazimov.

The International Center of Mugam

The Mugam Center project is one of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation projects. The aim of this project is to create the Azerbaijan mugam center. In 2005 on 6th of April the president of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev signed a direction about establishing the International Mugam Center in Baku. The International Mugam Center entered to the cultural heritage of UNESCO. In participation of the president of the Azerbaijan Republic Ilham Aliyev, the first lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva and the head of the UNESCO Koishiro Matsuura held the ceremony of laying down the base of the International Mugam Center in 2005. There are concert hall with the 350 sitting place, club, classrooms, record studio.

The Musically Specialized Secondary School named after Bulbul

It is ten year special music school which was founded under the direct of the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. This school was founded by Uzeyir Hajibeyov. In 1931 in the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire was founded child music group consisting of 60 pupil. In 1937 on the 13th of September by Uzeyir Hajibeyov’s initiative and by the order of the National Comissariat, Kovkab Safaraliyeva became the head of this school. In different years Tahir Atakishiyev, Nazim Aliverdibeyov, Faig Dashdemirov were the head of school. Since 1992 the head of the Musically Specialized Secondary School is Nigar Jarulla gizi Asgerova. There are piano, orchestra instruments, chamber orchestra and musicology departments in this school. In 1980 starts to work khanende (singer) class in the National Instruments department of this school.