14/06/10 - The Fame of Uzbek Classical Music expands its boundaries

Дата публикации: Jan 19, 2012 1:15:52 PM

Adolescence is one of the finest creative periods of people’s life. Grasping one or another profession happens in different ages, yet in the field of music art, children start grasping the secrets of the profession from their early childhood.

Uzbekistan abounds in creative talents. Today, more than three hundred of them are of world-fame and laureates of prestigious international music contests and festivals. Only the Uspensky Republican Special Music Academic Lyceum has over 50 young talents aged from six to eighteen – laureates of international festivals and competitions in France, Germany, Greece, Rumania, Russia and many other states. Since 2002, 108 students of the lyceum have obtained internationals prizes. “This school for today is considered the quality indicator for both musical pedagogies and remarkable talents who are the graduates of the lyceum,” noted the rector of the Tashkent State Conservatory Dilora Muradova. “All those who ever studied here are united with the spirit of extreme thirst for creativity. This is a famous school that developed the special methods of upbringing talents and not for ratings yet in order to foster a genuine musician from a talented child. Here children learn such bases that let them in the future to reach heights in their professional career. And all of it is the success of the teaching staff.” Many of graduates of the Uspensky Lyceum are today the world-known musicians. Leading print and internet editions write about them. For instance, recently some UK editions such as The Independent and Telegraph have published articles dedicated to the young Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov, 19, became the youngest Grand Prize winner at the 7th London International Piano Competition. Here among participants, over a hundred pianists from 16 countries, he was undoubted winner catching the fancy of the audience by his virtuosity, brilliant technical skills and astonishing delivery of the most complicated products.

“The winner was an 18-year-old Uzbek named Behzod Abduraimov, whose electrifying delivery of Prokofiev’s exuberant Third Piano Concerto left no room for doubt as to where the first prize should go. His performance was a dazzling display of high-octane virtuosity,” The Independent wrote.

Electronic version of the Telegraph wrote about the Uzbek pianist, saying that performance of him was rather impressive. “The London International Piano Competition produced a gift from God in Behzod Abduraimov.”

His mother Gulsun Abdullayeva cultivated in him love for music in early childhood. As she has the pedagogical music education, she started training her son music and playing on piano from his 5.

“I started studying in the Uspensky Republican Special Music Academic Lyceum at age 6, piano class,” remembers the young pianist. “Further, it was my tutor Tamara Popovich who encouraged me to become a pianist of high-level.”

Despite his young age, Behzod Abduraimov is already the winner of international contests of pianists Corpus Christi, Lennox 2008, republican competition San’at G’unchalari, as well as the diploma receiver at Kelajak Ovozi 2005, and winner of the National Prize Nihol 2008.

From his 10, Behzod started to perform in international scenes. Today, he is known as the winner of various international piano competitions in US, UK, Italy, China, Kazakhstan. While the success at the London International Piano Competition turned into the most enthralling event. The youngest among other 24 contenders who were selected after four rounds, Behzod in accompaniment of the London Philharmonic Orchestra virtuously delivered one of the most complicated products of Prokofiev - Third Piano Concerto. The audience presented him with storms of applauses. According to the jury, the talented Uzbek pianist was found the best and awarded the Grand Prix of the competition.

The contest was founded in 1991 by renowned pianist Sulamita Aronovsky and is conducted once in three years among youngsters up to 30, under the patronage of Charles, Prince of Wales. “The success of Behzod Abduraimov in this contest provides him not only the world career as pianist, yet demonstrates the high level of the piano school in Uzbekistan. Such brilliant pianists are born once in a century,” emphasized Sulamita Aronovsky.

“This competition became a serious test to me,” said the young virtuoso then. “I am proud of representing Uzbekistan. The flag of Uzbekistan streaming next to me encouraged me. It was raised to the top at the end of competition.”

Impressed with the triumph of his student Michael Rimmer underscored: “Behzod is extremely talented person with great future. Diligence and workability brought him to the top in London. From the start of his performance the audience amazed with his high professionalism and technical virtuosity. Many at that time understood that he had all chances to win.”

Currently, Behzod continues his education at Park University, US, and regularly goes for tours to many countries of the world faming the piano school of Uzbekistan.