Music of Peace, Music of Friendship: A Look Behind the Scenes of a Moscow Concert
15.08.2025 | 21:00 |Moscow has once again become a center of attraction for talented musicians from Turkmenistan. In anticipation of the concert “Music of Peace, Music of Friendship and Brotherhood” taking place on August 15 at the Moscow Conservatory named after P.I. Tchaikovsky, a creative delegation arrived in the capital not only to perform, but also to breathe in the atmosphere of the legendary educational institution.
Gurbanmyrat Baidzhikov (gijak), Aidar Batayarov (violin), Bahram Dolyev (violin), Elman Nasyrov (viola), Kakageldy Khodjalekov (cello) and Lachin Khudaiberdiyeva (dutar) spent an unforgettable time within the walls that preserve the memory of outstanding figures in musical art - from Mstislav Rostropovich to Svyatoslav Richter.
Turkmen musicians conducted intensive rehearsals, filling the auditoriums and halls where Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky himself once taught and Sergei Rachmaninoff studied, as well as a whole galaxy of Turkmen composers, including Nury Khalmamedov, whose name the Moscow International Arts Festival bears, with new sounds.
A special moment was the meeting of Gurbanmyrat Baydzhikov and Lachin Khudaiberdiyeva with the teachers of the conservatory. There, the musicians held a unique presentation dedicated to the art of creation and the acoustic features of national instruments - gijak and dutar. Their story, supported by live performance, allowed the audience to take a new look at the deep and rich sound of Turkmen folk music. Elena Osipova, associate professor of the Turkmen National Conservatory, who made a significant contribution to the scientific understanding of the musical heritage of her country, also took part in this meeting.
In preparation for the concert, another important lecture was held by Elena Osipova and Evgeny Volkov on the topic of “Small” and “Big” Motherland in the Works of Russian and Turkmen Composers of the 20th Century.” This event became an excellent example of cultural dialogue, revealing common values and parallels in the musical heritage of the two countries.
Having enjoyed the creative atmosphere and visited iconic places in Moscow, including the Zurab Tsereteli Art Gallery, the Turkmen musicians were fully prepared to go on stage. Their performance was not just a concert, but the culmination of a fruitful creative exchange aimed at strengthening cultural ties between Turkmenistan and Russia.
ORIENT