At the Maya Kulieva Turkmen National Conservatory, in the Chamber Ensemble Department under the direction of Maral Agayeva, music becomes a living art, transforming sounds into feelings and melodies into images. Here, each student, like a budding artist, learns not just to play notes, but to reveal the full depth and beauty of the composer's vision.
Passionately dedicated to her craft, Maral Agayeva inspires young musicians to meticulous work, teaching them to see music as a holistic picture, striving to ensure that every detail, every note, becomes a vibrant brushstroke on the canvas of sound. Her diligence and commitment to excellence are passed on to her students, who, thanks to her guidance, discover new horizons and possibilities in music.
The Chamber Ensemble Department held a musical presentation of Kerimguly Garovov's work "In a Mountain Valley" for violin and piano, performed by students from her class, Shaislam Komiljanov and Seyran Ataniyazov.
"This piece is like an artist's canvas, where every stroke conveys the breath of the mountains," Maral Agayeva says. The students captured its mood so skillfully that it seems as if the listener begins to hear and feel the mountain landscapes, flowing waterfalls, and cool shade of the trees emerging around them.
Indeed, the piece "In a Mountain Valley" is a musical tableau where nature is not just a mere environment, but a living, breathing, and feeling being. The sounds in the piece depict not only majestic landscapes but also a deep emotional connection, as if nature itself, with its beauty, sings an even more refined image of the beloved. "In a Mountain Valley" is one of the composer's most poetic works.
The piece begins with a soft piano introduction, resounding like the voice of nature, ancient and wise. It is a voice that carries not only the tranquility of the mountains but also a tremulous memory of the most beautiful of all beauties—the beloved. The violin enters later, its melody as gentle as rays of sun piercing the mist. This musical duet creates an image of morning silence, where nature awakens, and with it, feelings come to life.
The middle section of the piece is more lively, reminding us that nature, as well as music, can contain contrasts. The violin and piano engage in a tense dialogue, with sounds sometimes echoing each other, sometimes merging into a single movement.
The swirl of musical lines echoes with thirst, passion, and longing. The beloved becomes the heart of this vortex; her image not only inspires but also imbues the melody with an inner energy that sweeps the listener into a whirlwind of emotions.
The final section of the piece returns the listener to peace. This is music that echoes the last rays of sunset, gently gliding over the mountain peaks. Here, everything comes into harmony: nature, love, and memories merge into one.
The violin grows quieter and calmer. The piano concludes the melody with quiet chords that seem to complete the artist's canvas, creating a sense of accomplished beauty.
Kerimguly Garovov, a renowned composer and senior lecturer in the composition department, is known for his soundscapes. His work includes symphonies that convey spiritual strength, chamber works full of emotional depth, and elegant piano pieces and songs that touch the heart. His works for children, filled with sincerity and warmth, hold a special place.
Igor Jorakulov, lecturer at the Maya Kulieva Turkmen National Conservatory
