A concert titled “West Meets East” was held at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, United States. The concert was organized by Azerbaijani musician and professor at the University of Hartford Kamilla Mammadova, with the support of the State Committee on Work Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The event was attended by representatives of the Azerbaijani community, foreign guests, the university’s teachers and students, as well as an employee of the State Committee.

First, a video reflecting Azerbaijan and its rich cultural heritage was showcased.

In her opening speech, Kamilla Mammadova spoke about the history of Azerbaijan’s rich music culture, national traditions, and the contributions of this heritage to the world’s cultural treasures. She highlighted that such events are of great importance in terms of promoting and developing Azerbaijani culture globally.

A committee employee mentioned that such cultural events play an important role in promoting Azerbaijani music and culture at the international level. She stated that such initiatives strengthen the dialogue between different peoples and build cultural bridges between the East and the West.

American musician, kamancheh player, head of the Mugham Society of America Jeffrey Werbock spoke about the rich tradition and centuries-old history of Azerbaijani mugham art. He noted that this musical heritage reflects human values and is distinguished by its improvisational features.

The concert featured works by Azerbaijani composers Uzeyir Hajibayli, Fikrat Amirov, Gara Garayev, and Tofig Guliyev, as well as examples of folk music. Werbock performed the “Segah” and “Karabakh Shikastesi” mughams accompanied by violinist Azer Damirov, a doctoral student at Temple University.

The “Gaytaghi” dance presented by American pianist Colin Christin, as well as the songs “Azerbaijan” and “Garanfil” sung by American performer Sofia Zay, aroused the interest of the audience. At the same time, Uzeyir Hajibayli’s “Sevgili janan” and the famous folk music “Kuchelere su sepmishem” performed by Azar Damirov on the kamancheh and accompanied by Kamilla Mammadova on the piano were met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

At the end, the performers were presented gifts, and a commemorative photo was taken.

Source: AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASININ DİASPORLA İŞ ÜZRƏ DÖVLƏT KOMİTƏSİ

STATE COMMITTEE ON WORK WITH DIASPORA OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN