The friendship song of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, composed by the famous musician Tofiq Bakixanov, was performed by Azerbaijan’s National Orchestra in Baku.
The song was played in a ceremony to celebrate the 85th birthday of Bakixanov, at Baku Philharmonic Center on December 8, Mehr News Agency reported.
Iran’s cultural attaché to Azerbaijan Ebrahim Ebrahimi said, “Professor Bakixanov is a noted composer who is known to both Azerbaijani and Iranian music fans and some of his books have been translated and published in Persian.”
Pointing to the significant role of artists in developing art and culture in their countries, Ebrahimi added, “Bakixanov was among the first artists who had a prominent role in expanding the two nation’s cultural and artistic relations.”
Bakixanov graduated from the Baku Academy of Music in 1953, and in 1957 he majored in music composing.
He is the author of concerts for violin, violoncello, flute, oboe, dual concerts and musical comedies. Currently he is professor at the Baku Academy of Music. Since 1969, he has performed recitals in Paris, Moscow, Tbilisi, Istanbul, Izmir and Tehran.
The first joint scientific journal, in Azerbaijani and Persian, ‘Studying Persian Language and Literature’ has been released by the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan and the Persian Language and Literature Chair at the Baku State University, Ebrahimi said.
The journal should help boost cooperation between the two neighbors and promote Persian language and literature.
