Okilhon Ibragimov: “It is important that constantly there would be a dialogue of cultures!”

The rector of the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan which is considered the highest musical educational institution, the oldest in Central Asia, Okilhon Ibragimov told to our portal why it is important that the East and the West constantly communicated:

— At the “Musical Traditions of the East in a Context of Modern Culture” conference many participants speak the Russian language …

- Nobody in Uzbekistan ignore the value of the Russian as language of international communication. The experts from many CIS countries arrived on conference: when it is necessary we use the Russian and when it is necessary – the English. In Uzbekistan now much attention is paid to learning of foreign languages, but it in any way doesn't belittle the value of the Russian language. There is a lot of the literature in the Russian language for children and training at schools, average special educational institutions, higher education institutions are in the Russian language too.

We have good communications with Russia. For example, musicologists constantly come to us. There is an exchange of opinions, various cooperation exists. Someone is from Russia, from the different cities is constantly at traditional conference at the Sharq Taronalari festival.

- Is it actual to study traditional music and traditional culture in the XXI century in general?

- Today, during a globalization era, studying of traditional music is very actual. And the conference purpose is the judgment and studying of musical traditions of the East. It gives remarkable opportunity to come into creative contacts between researchers of the different countries. But still there is also an integration of the musical processes happening in parallel in different cultural spheres.

Interesting things happen: there was a book of Elena Magnitskaya “Creative interpretation of space”. And in 2010 in Uzbekistan there was my book “Makoms and space”. Very conformable subjects! We develop very similar subjects and we can quite do it together.

We are always interested in creativity of the great Russian composers. Let's tell, many are attracted by music of representatives of “The Five”. My favourite composer is Skryabin. Musicologists of Uzbekistan attentively investigate the creativity of these composers! The culture after all knows no limit and we will take great pain to expand the horizons of communications.

- It already the ninth festival in Samarkand: it became tradition as it is obvious. But something changes every year all the same …

- The festival develops, of course. Scales, geography – everything grows. Almost all continents are presented today! There is very serious work on selection of participants: we listen material, then we select the best and we invite to us. By the way, Russia is the constant participant of festival. This year the Russian music is represented by a quartet “Grad” from St. Petersburg: in their creativity the folklore and instrumental music are presented.

When we only began, the emphasis was placed on a vocal, but gradually more and more instrumentalists began to come to the republic. Now not only the masters of solo singing, but also groups, various creative collectives are here. I have to tell that it is quite natural: instrumental music is an integral part of east musical tradition.

- Interesting cultural dialogue of the East and the West turns out. Probably, not only of them …

- You are absolutely right: such cultural dialogue is. And it develops every year. The name of a festival speaks about its essence – it is translated into the Russian as “Melodies of the East”. But at the same time all of us understand that it is a question of universal values. I can tell that exactly east melodies served as the base for development of the Byzantine musical culture. And already there is the European musical tradition from Byzantium; and we know how the Byzantine culture meant much to development of ancient Russia.

There is such known expression: “from the East” - this is very ancient thought and completely justifies itself today! For example, during any periods of the development the European music tests the crisis phenomena, and it always turns the look to the East into such hard time. That is, the East as though always is an inspiration source!

I don't deny the value of various traditions in this sense, but I want to confirm that the East is the most ancient civilization, and it, certainly, affects. It is remarkable that there is a dialogue of cultures that thanks to it we understand how it is important to save and protect our traditions which focus not only national, but also universal values. Here it is the most important!