Baku Academy of Music

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The Hajibeyov Baku Academy of Music (Azeri: Hacıbəyov adına Bakı Musiqi Akademiyası) is a leading Azerbaijani music school. It was established in 1920 in Baku and was previously known as the Hajibeyov Azerbaijan State Conservatoire.

[edit] History

In 1920, Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov initiated a movement aimed at propagating classical music among masses. His detailed report presented at the Azerbaijani People's Commissariat of Education (early Soviet analogue of a Ministry of Education) offering the establishment of a high-level music education institution resulted in the approval of his proposal. Thus, the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire was founded on 25 May 1920.^[1] Hajibeyov became one of its first instructors. In the 1920s, he established the unique Oriental Department, where Azeri folk music was taught both traditionally (orally) and by European methods, i.e. using notes. Along with composer Muslim Magomayev, he developed the first of a kind teaching material entitled Azeri Folk Songs published in 1927. In 1939, Hajibeyov was chosen head of the conservatoire.^[2] In 1991, it was renamed to Hajibeyov Baku Academy of Music.

During World War II, the conservatoire executives organized hundreds of concerts for military units and soldiers who recovered in hospitals.^[2] It was enhanced with the Bulbul Specialized Secondary Music School in 1931, the Music Studio School in 1980, and the Mammadova Opera Studio in 1984. As of 2002, the Academy library had over 235,000 materials.^[3]

Overall there are 3 faculties and 18 departments. The Academy also offers graduating students master's, kandidat's, and doctorate degrees. There are 2 research laboratories (the Restoration and Improvement of Ancient Musical Instruments Laboratory established in 1991, and the Investigation of Professional Oral Music Traditions Laboratory, established in 1992).