In our independent and neutral country, systematic efforts are being carried out to develop the cultural sphere and identify young talents. To this end, competitions and large-scale celebrations are regularly organized.
One such landmark event, opening the way into the world of great art for the younger generation, is the children’s musical competition “Garaşsyzlygyň merjen däneleri”, held as part of the Presidential Prize of Turkmenistan “Türkmeniň Altyn asyry.” This year, held under the motto “Independent Neutral Turkmenistan — the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses” and marking the 35th anniversary of the country’s independence, the regional stages were launched with performances by young talents from Lebap velayat.
At the State Music and Drama Theatre named after Seyitnazar Seydi, 194 schoolchildren aged 6 to 14 gathered, having successfully passed the preliminary selection rounds. The festively decorated stage brought together a variety of artistic genres—from folk and vocal singing to pop performances, as well as dance and folklore acts—giving the competition a special vibrancy. The musical pieces and songs performed by the young talents praised love for the Motherland, the country’s large-scale transformations, the humanistic traditions of their ancestors, and a happy childhood, becoming a true harbinger of the bright future of Turkmen musical art.
During the creative marathon, the jury paid close attention not only to performance skills and stage presence, but also to the depth of the songs’ content, clarity of pronunciation, and the harmony between costumes and performances. The highlight of the evening was the inspired joint performance of the song “Garaşsyzlygyň merjen dänesi” by all participants, which was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.
The Lebap stage of the competition was held at a high organizational level with the support of regional departments of education and culture, revealing many promising talents and providing a true celebration of art for more than five hundred invited peers of the participants.
