On September 18, we celebrate National Music Day in honor of Uzeyir Hajibeyli (1885–1948), the brilliant composer, musicologist, educator, publicist, and public figure whose name is written in golden letters in the annals of the music culture of Azerbaijan on the 138th anniversary of his birth. Today in our country is National Music Day in honor of the great composer.
Since 2009, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture have organized a traditional international music festival in tribute to the great composer. This year, the famous music festival will be held for the 15th time.
Traditionally, the events of this important day in our cultural history began with a visit to the grave of Uzeyir Bey in the First Alley of Honor.
Minister of Culture Adil Karimli, officials of the ministry, and well-known figures from the fields of culture and art attended the ceremony.
Minister of Culture Adil Karimli congratulated those gathered on the occasion of National Music Day, highlighting that September 18 is one of the most significant days of our culture: "Today is the birthday of the great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli. Furthermore, in our country, September 18 is celebrated as National Music Day (also known as "Uzeyir Music Day) in honor of this great musician. This significant day was established by the decree of President Heydar Aliyev dated September 18, 1995, on the occasion of the 110th birthday of Uzeyir Bey.
In this connection, every year a number of events are held in our country to commemorate the incomparable services of the composer to our culture. This year, the 15th Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival will be organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture from September 18 to 28. Within the framework of the festival, various events will be held, and artists and groups from different countries will perform. We wish you a great musical holiday".
Firangiz Alizadeh, a People's Artist and the head of the Union of Composers of Azerbaijan, shared her thoughts on the immortal legacy of the great composer. She stressed that as long as the Azerbaijani people exist, the timeless legacy of this brilliant composer will endure forever.
After the speeches, the participants of the ceremony visited the graves of Azerbaijani musical luminaries, including Gara Garayev, Fikret Amirov, Bulbul, Rashid Behbudov, Niyazi, and Muslim Magomayev in the First Alley of Honor.
The participants of the ceremony also visited the graves of Heydar Aliyev, the great supporter of our culture, and the renowned ophthalmologist and scientist, Academician Zarifa Aliyeva, and placed bouquets of flowers at their graves.
