Quddus Khojamyarov
Encyclopedia
Quddus Khojamyarov (May 12, 1918— April 8, 1994) was an Uyghur
Soviet
composer from Kazakhstan
. He was named a People's Artist of the USSR
.
He is best known for his Muqam
melodies, often composing in 12 muqams. Notable compositions include Nazugum, regarded as the first Uyghur opera, Zolotyegorye (The Golden Mountains) (1960) and his Taklimakan symphony.
, Almaty Province
, Kazakhstan. His father died when he was just 3 months old. From a young age he was distinguished by discipline, commitment, lack of youthful frivolity and common weaknesses. He did not smoke, drink, and was innocent of the temptations in life. Kuzhamyarov was admitted to the College of Music and Drama in Alma-Ata, despite not yet being 16 years old. First he went to college studying the violin, then switched to the piano , where he began composing music. He passed the examinations for the composition faculty of the Moscow Conservatory
. However, due to World War II he had to postpone his studies; he was drafted into the army. In 1943, he joined the Communist Party
.
After demobilization, he returned to Alma-Ata, and in 1951 he graduated from the Alma-Ata Conservatory, under professor E. Brusilovsky, who cited Kuzhamyarov as a very important Uyghur musician. He finally left Alma-Ata and attended the Moscow Conservatory in the class of Professor V. Shebalin from 1953. He taught in the years 1957-1967 years and became rector of the Alma-Ata State Conservatory in 1968, receiving the title of professor in 1965.
He is credited with creating the first Uyghur opera Nazugum (1956), Zolotyegorye (The Golden Mountains) (1960) and the ballet "Chin Tomur" (1967). The originality of the author's handwriting, is indicated in the search for national identity, embodied in a program of symphonic poem "Rizvana" (1950), for which he received the Stalin Prize of the third degree in 1951. He composed many chamber, instrumental and choral works, songs and ballads, and music for dramatic productions. Strongly interested in the history of the Xinjiang
region, he also wrote the Taklimakan symphony which according to him is "an expression of... the irrigation and cultivation of the desert", its disappearance by sandstorm, and then "a foreshadowing of the future, in which the flourishing past will return."
He was a member of the Union of Composers of Kazakhstan and from 1955-1959 was its chairman. In the years 1959-1966 he was a member of the Committee on Lenin and USSR State Prize in Literature and Art. He was a participant in international festivals in Tehran
in 1961 and Baghdad
in 1964. He was elected a member of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR (1961-1967)
Towards the end of his life he composed a "Children's Album" consisting of 15 piano pieces based on his childhood memories, and other lyrical works. In 1992 he lectured in the art college in Urumqi
, China
on Muqum music.
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
composer from Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. He was named a People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Nomenclature and significance :...
.
He is best known for his Muqam
Muqam
A muqam is the melody type used in Uyghur music, that is, a musical mode and set of melodic formulas used to guide improvisation and composition....
melodies, often composing in 12 muqams. Notable compositions include Nazugum, regarded as the first Uyghur opera, Zolotyegorye (The Golden Mountains) (1960) and his Taklimakan symphony.
Biography
Kuzhamyarov was born on May 21, 1918, in the modern village of Kaynazar in Enbekshikazakh DistrictEnbekshikazakh District
Enbekshikazakh District is a district of Almaty Province in Kazakhstan. The administrative center of the district is Esik town....
, Almaty Province
Almaty Province
Almaty is a province of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Taldykorgan, which has a population of 118,400. The province itself has 1,603,700 people.-Geography:...
, Kazakhstan. His father died when he was just 3 months old. From a young age he was distinguished by discipline, commitment, lack of youthful frivolity and common weaknesses. He did not smoke, drink, and was innocent of the temptations in life. Kuzhamyarov was admitted to the College of Music and Drama in Alma-Ata, despite not yet being 16 years old. First he went to college studying the violin, then switched to the piano , where he began composing music. He passed the examinations for the composition faculty of the Moscow Conservatory
Moscow Conservatory
The Moscow Conservatory is a higher musical education institution in Moscow, and the second oldest conservatory in Russia after St. Petersburg Conservatory. Along with the St...
. However, due to World War II he had to postpone his studies; he was drafted into the army. In 1943, he joined the Communist Party
Communist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
.
After demobilization, he returned to Alma-Ata, and in 1951 he graduated from the Alma-Ata Conservatory, under professor E. Brusilovsky, who cited Kuzhamyarov as a very important Uyghur musician. He finally left Alma-Ata and attended the Moscow Conservatory in the class of Professor V. Shebalin from 1953. He taught in the years 1957-1967 years and became rector of the Alma-Ata State Conservatory in 1968, receiving the title of professor in 1965.
He is credited with creating the first Uyghur opera Nazugum (1956), Zolotyegorye (The Golden Mountains) (1960) and the ballet "Chin Tomur" (1967). The originality of the author's handwriting, is indicated in the search for national identity, embodied in a program of symphonic poem "Rizvana" (1950), for which he received the Stalin Prize of the third degree in 1951. He composed many chamber, instrumental and choral works, songs and ballads, and music for dramatic productions. Strongly interested in the history of the Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
region, he also wrote the Taklimakan symphony which according to him is "an expression of... the irrigation and cultivation of the desert", its disappearance by sandstorm, and then "a foreshadowing of the future, in which the flourishing past will return."
He was a member of the Union of Composers of Kazakhstan and from 1955-1959 was its chairman. In the years 1959-1966 he was a member of the Committee on Lenin and USSR State Prize in Literature and Art. He was a participant in international festivals in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
in 1961 and Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1964. He was elected a member of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR (1961-1967)
Towards the end of his life he composed a "Children's Album" consisting of 15 piano pieces based on his childhood memories, and other lyrical works. In 1992 he lectured in the art college in Urumqi
Ürümqi
Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
on Muqum music.