Representatives of Turkmenistan’s cultural and artistic community took part in the Third International Maqom Art Forum, held from 23 to 26 June in Namangan, Republic of Uzbekistan. The large-scale event, organized under the auspices of UNESCO and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), brought together experts, artists, and performers from various countries.
The Turkmen delegation included bakhshi Serdar Bayramov, Spartak Atakov, a lecturer at the Danatar Ovezov Turkmen State Specialized Music School, and Davlet Danatarov, a lecturer at the Sakhy Jepbarov Specialized Music School of Arkadag city.
As part of the forum’s competition program, the Turkmen musicians presented a profound and technically demanding repertoire. Their performances of the folk songs “Jan-Jan,” “Arzurum,” and “Balsayat,” as well as “Yar Senin,” based on the poetry of Garaja Oglan, received high praise from the international jury. Following the competition, the representatives of Turkmenistan were named among the winners, receiving an honorary statuette and a cash prize.
Alongside the concert program, the forum also featured expert discussions on the future development of national musical traditions. Honored Art Worker of Turkmenistan and conductor Gadam Jumagulyev participated as a mukam expert, presenting a comprehensive analysis of the distinctive features and contemporary development of Turkmen musical art. In addition, Rovshen Mukhammedov, Senior Lecturer at the Maya Kuliyeva Turkmen National Conservatory and a musicologist, delivered a presentation at the international scientific conference entitled “New Trends in Eastern Maqom: The Interconnection of Tradition and Innovation.”
Participation in the forum provided an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the high level of professional excellence of Turkmen performers and to strengthen international cultural ties. The organizers emphasized that the forum’s primary objectives are to promote the preservation of cultural heritage, foster intercultural dialogue, and advance the principles of respect for the diversity of the world's cultural traditions.
The success of the Turkmen participants at this prestigious international event reaffirmed the global community’s strong interest in Turkmenistan’s national musical art, its unique school of performance, and its rich spiritual heritage.
Ogulsuray Jumagulyeva,
Student, Faculty of Cultural Heritage, Turkmen State Institute of Culture
