XII International festival of Folk Instruments kicks off in Dagestan

Makhachkala, April 24, 2017. The opening of the 12th International Festival of Folk Instruments' Performers took place in the Kumyk State Drama and Music Theater on April 23, the press-service of Dagestan Ministry of Culture reports.

The deputy Dagestan Minister of Culture, Marita Mugadova has noted that the festival is a professional platform that gives an opportunity to meet amateur musicians and state collectives. Besides, the event attracts many guests and participants from different regions of Russia, as well as from abroad.

"We, within the framework of the festival, will try to create all conditions for the fruitful work" Mugadova confessed.

The State Orchestra of Folk Instruments RD under the direction of Novruz Shahbazov, the famous pandourist musicians Abusupyan Alikarayev and Abdulla Magomedmirzoyev, the combined ensemble of folk instruments of Levashinsky district, the ensemble "Veselie Zurnachi" from Dakhadayev district, the dombra player and performer of folk songs Faizulla Musaev from Nogai district have become the Festival participants.

Besides, the big cultural event gathered the ensembles of folk instruments, musicians from Rostov-on-Don, Kalmykia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and Ingushetia.
It should be noted that the XII International Festival of Folk Instruments' Performers will last until April 26. All the festival events will take place in the Makhachkala Music College named after G. Gasanov.

The festival has been held since 1997. It features close cooperation of amateur collectives with well-known professional performers on folk instruments that determine the development of folk instrumental art in Russia.

The organizers of the festival are Dagestan Ministry of Culture, Makhachkala city administration and the municipal department of culture, Makhachkala Music College, the Republican Educational and Methodological Center, the Union of Musicians of the Republic of Dagestan under the patronage of the Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage attached to Dagestan branch of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO.