Musical Celebration in Gabala: II International Festival "Winter Fairy Tale" Concludes

The II International Music Festival "Winter Fairy Tale," organized by the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, and Gilan, has concluded in Gabala.

The "Winter Fairy Tale" festival, being a continuation of the Gabala International Music Festival traditionally held since 2009 during the summer season, brought together art connoisseurs for the second time. During the cold winter days, this magnificent celebration of art once again managed to attract the attention of the music world to Gabala.

As reported by AZERTAC, within the framework of the festival that started on February 5, a diverse program was presented to music lovers at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Center in Gabala. Evenings of vocal and chamber instrumental music, solo performances, a concert by a pianist with autism spectrum disorder, and the chamber music evening "Baku - Naples: A Musical Bridge," reflecting the friendship between Azerbaijan and Italy, were well received by the audience.

On the evening of February 8, the official closing ceremony and gala concert of the II International Music Festival "Winter Fairy Tale" took place at the Heydar Aliyev Congress Center. The event was attended by Leyla Aliyeva, representatives of the festival organizers, famous musicians, music lovers, and city guests.

At the flamenco-jazz evening titled "Azerbaijan-Spain: Two Countries, One Music," Azerbaijani folk songs, improvisations in flamenco-jazz and mugham styles were performed, and invited performers and dancers from Spain took the stage.

Before the concert began, brief information about the work of Spanish and Azerbaijani musicians was presented. It was mentioned that world-renowned flamenco pianist and composer Andrés Barrios received a classical music education. The work of Barrios, a musician with deep knowledge in jazz, is distinguished by an eclectic and innovative style. His music represents a bold and contemporary embodiment of 21st-century flamenco, in which various world music styles are masterfully combined.

Another concert participant - Azerbaijani musician and tar player Ibrahim Babayev, as noted, builds upon mugham traditions while adding elements of electronic and contemporary music. He always manages to stand out with his unique experiments. Pianist Nijat Aslanov creates music based on the synthesis of mugham, ethno-jazz, and modern jazz.

The concert featured compositions by Andrés Barrios: Ecdysis, Meraki, Noche Andaluza, Isbilya, La Colombiana, as well as Spanish folk songs. Flamenco dance numbers performed by Spanish dancers Cristina Cazorla and Javier Moreno, as well as improvisations in mugham and flamenco styles performed by tar player Ibrahim Babayev together with pianist Andrés Barrios, and the folk song Yaylıq gave the audience unforgettable emotions.

The gala concert also featured solo numbers and flamenco-style improvisations performed by the famous Azerbaijani pianist and jazz composer Nijat Aslanov and members of his jazz trio - Fuad Jafar (bass guitar) and Hasan Bilalov (drums).

With this, the II International Music Festival "Winter Fairy Tale," held in Gabala by the Baku Music Academy named after Uzeyir Hajibeyli with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the Ministry of Culture, and Gilan, concluded its work.

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