Rock rhythms to the sound of violins
You won’t surprise anyone nowadays as we live in an advanced IT century, when fantasy and reality are interconnected so far as it seems like they have changed places.
Moreover, rock music is so transformed into the most unimaginable styles, from Folk to Art, that even if the songs of rock bands such as Nirvana and Bon Jovi are accompanied by classical string orchestra, then this is unlikely to be the opening of terra Incognita – still unexplored territory.
Nevertheless, on Saturday evening in Ashgabat, it was really hot, and this is not due to the weather changeability, but to a drive concert of string orchestra conducted by Tahir Atayev. As the concert was called “Heat!”
At the Vatan cinema, the house is full! Tickets were sold out long before the musical event, as the musical collective that uses to surprise the audience at every show promised to perform a new program – world rock hits.
Someone went to the concert in search of impressions, while others – to see the favorite artist, and, at the end, all of them received a powerful emotional fund.
So, the rock in not died, as some believe, it just went out to breathe fresh air. The rock is immortal. After all, this is music for those who remain young in soul, therefore, from the first magic sounds of “Final Countdown”, which became very popular about three and a half dozen years ago thanks to the Europe rock band, the audience that filled the hall was captured by powerful energy.
On stage, instead of the usual 5-6 rock musicians, five times more performers. A spectacular start! Wonderful sound! The sound of numerous instruments, despite the hustle, does not interfere with each other. As if charged with electric current, the strings of cellos and violins sounded and rock struck!
The music was accompanied by the “playing” light of projectors and the flames burning on the monitors.
Immortal rock hits of “Scorpions”, “AC / DC”, “Roxette”, “Linkin Park”, “Kino”, “Nirvana”, “Queen” and other groups were staged in the arrangement of a string orchestra.
And it was quite unusual not only the performance of rock classics, but also a new look of the collective. Musicians in black clothes, illuminated in the dark scene by bright rays, looked like magicians, creating a miracle using the magic of sounds.
Classical violinists, having refused from the usual chairs, performed the whole concert in the standing position, while dancing to the beat of the music. And even cellists with bulky instruments couldn’t resist the music drive.
The audience sang along with the vocalists almost every song. Even during performance of instrumental arrangement, people sang, having surprised Tahir Atayev himself.
But the maestro quickly got used to it and began to manage not only the orchestra, but also the chanted audience, who, as it turned out, knew many hits by heart.
“Of course, we were worried, as we undertook to perform very famous songs. The responsibility for the way we play was enormous, but according to the feedback we received from the public, we managed to pass this test,” Tahir Atayev says. “The musicians and I did all the arrangements ourselves, as not all the songs have orchestral parts.”
Live, original music captivates even the smallest spectators. Aisha Hanmamedova – a 7-year-old girl, came to the concert with a special accessory – a glove a la Michael Jackson.
It turned out that the little girl was inspired by Tahir Atayev’s concerts, and the recent music program dedicated to the hits of the king of the pop scene so captivated Aisha that she applied the dancing course. Her parents have already sent a request for a major Russian TV talent show for children “Luchshe Vseh” and are looking forward to an invitation from Maksim Galkin.
The student of the Turkmen Conservatory Dovran Shamyev, who sang the hits of “Queen”, was of special attention of the public, and little Aisha had long made friends with the vocalist. Asya Konstantyan made her debut performance in tandem with the orchestra – she has recently graduated from the institute, and today she already shines on the Ashgabat stage.
The audience applauded the rock festival so they did not want to let the musicians go. Therefore, Tahir Atayev promised that this concert program would be repeated. This means that for those who could not get to the concert and for those who experienced a real delight from tonight event – there will be another great chance to enjoy world rock hits.
CODE: In Turkmenistan, a variety of musical styles and trends have developed, including string orchestral music. And this despite the fact that the orchestras are difficult to manage – you need to work out your own sound, to achieve harmony between groups of different instruments. But all these trying experience, including the time spent on many months of rehearsal, can fail if one of the musicians leaves the orchestra.
Music lovers can see the competition between orchestras. The Orchestra by Tahir Atayev is one of the youngest, but already today has firmly taken its place in the musical elite.
Young performers have proved that they can deal with various music – from pure classics to avant-garde. The ensemble has not only the present, but also the future! Provided that they will be devoted to the chosen path and avoid the sad fate of the personnel haemorrhage...
