Franghiz Ali-Zadeh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Franghiz Ali-Zadeh
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Ali-Zadeh in 2021
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| Chairperson of the Composers Union of Azerbaijan | |
| Assumed office 2007 |
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Franghiz Ali Aga Kïzï Ali-Zadeh
28 May 1947 Baku, Azerbaijan SSR, USSR |
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Franghiz Ali-Zadeh (born 28 May 1947) is a famous Azerbaijani composer and pianist. She creates contemporary classical music, which is a modern style of classical music. She is also the leader of the Composers Union of Azerbaijan. Her music is special because it mixes modern Western classical styles with traditional Azerbaijani mugham music. Some of her well-known pieces include Gabil Sajahy (1979) for cello and piano, and the ballet Empty Cradle (1993). She has also written music for instruments, voices, and films.
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Life and Her Musical Journey
Early Life and Education
Franghiz Ali-Zadeh was born on May 28, 1947, in Baku. At that time, Baku was part of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic in the USSR. Even though her family wasn't especially musical, her father, who was an oil engineer, sometimes played the tar. The tar is a traditional string instrument from Central Asia.
Franghiz became interested in music very early. When she was five years old, her family bought her a piano. She started composing music a few years later. She learned how to compose from a teacher named Adila Huseinzade.
From 1954 to 1965, Ali-Zadeh went to the youth music school at the Azerbaijan State Conservatory. Later, she studied composition there with Gara Garayev and piano with Ulfan Khalilov. She finished her piano studies in 1970 and composition in 1972. She worked as an assistant to Gara Garayev from 1970 to 1976. In 1980, she received an award from the Composers Union of Azerbaijan. She became a full professor at the conservatory in 1996.
A Career in Music
As a pianist, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh helped share the music of many modern classical composers. She often performed works by Russian composers like Edison Denisov and Sofia Gubaidulina. She also played music by European composers such as Alban Berg and John Cage.
Ali-Zadeh often attended music festivals in the former USSR. In 1988, she became a member of the Schoenberg Institute in Los Angeles. She moved to Turkey in 1992. Later, in the late 1990s, she moved to Berlin, Germany. Today, she divides her time between Berlin and Baku.
In August 1999, Ali-Zadeh became the first woman to be a "composer-in-residence" at the Lucerne Festival. This means she was a special guest composer for the festival. She also held this role for the Beethoven Orchester in Bonn in 2001 and 2003.
She has received many awards, including the People's Artiste of Azerbaijan in 2008. Since 2008, she has been a UNESCO Artist for Peace. This means she helps promote peace through art, especially supporting children's education programs. She is also the artistic director of the International World of Mugham Festival.
Her music has been performed by famous musicians like Yo-Yo Ma and Hilary Hahn. The Kronos Quartet is a group that especially loves to play her music.
Since 2007, she has been the chairperson of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union. She was re-elected for another five-year term in January 2025.
Her Unique Musical Style
Franghiz Ali-Zadeh is best known for her music that blends two different worlds. She combines the traditional Azerbaijani mugham music with modern Western composing styles. She was especially inspired by composers like Arnold Schoenberg and her teacher, Gara Garayev.
She started mixing these styles in the 1970s. Before that, she mostly focused on Western European modern music. This blend makes her music very unique and interesting to listen to. One of her compositions is the opera Karabakhname (2007). Her works have been published by well-known music companies.
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See also
In Spanish: Frangiz Alizade para niños
