Presented by WOMEX
Qarabagh Ensemble
Qarabagh Ensemble creates Mugham, a traditional music from Azerbaijan. Aqil Suleymanov, Rustam Muslumov, Elnur Aliyev, Farid Babayev, and Elvin Novruzov, have studied this music since childhood under the personal guidance of a master musician using no written notation, no set meter, and improvisation within a traditional structure. Elchin Elshad and Suleyman Aliyev will be joining them in Austin.
The musical experience is meant to bring about a transformation of consciousness, more spiritual experience than entertainment. It presents an ancient practice of the use of sound to bring the listener and musician together in the music, with no separation into self and other.
In the land of wall builders this is dangerous music. Not likely to be found on trendy music blogs, or top pop radio. A window into another world, not a mirror of US culture. For seekers and adventurous souls this is a magical experience of a centuries old music tradition striving to transcend daily life and uplift the soul, to bring people together.
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.