Azerbaijan Celebrates National Music Day and the 141st Anniversary of Uzeyir Hajibeyli
Today, September 18, Azerbaijan celebrates National Music Day, a holiday dedicated to culture and the arts. The date marks the 141st anniversary of the birth of the outstanding Azerbaijani composer, musicologist and educator Uzeyir Hajibeyli.
Uzeyir Hajibeyli went down in history as the founder of modern professional musical art in the East. In 1908, he wrote the famous opera Leyli and Majnun, ushering in a new era in world culture and bringing together traditional Eastern mugham with classical European genres.
The tradition of celebrating September 18 was established in 1995 by a decree of national leader Heydar Aliyev. Since then, the day has become a symbol of preserving national heritage, with ceremonial concerts, exhibitions and international festival programmes held across the country every year.
Hajibeyli’s creative legacy has reached far beyond the borders of a single country. His operas, operettas and anthems remain a vivid example of how music can bring cultures and generations together.
The September 18 celebration reminds us of the importance of preserving national roots and gives everyone an opportunity to connect with the region’s living cultural heritage.
ORIENT
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