Iranian Academy of Arts, affiliated to the presidential office, will conduct a special seminar on Turkmen music.
Organized by the academy’s research department, the Special Seminar on Turkmen Music is slated for April 24, according to the website of the academy honar.ac.ir.
The meeting which starts at 3 pm will be attended by two acclaimed researchers in Iranian ethnic and ritual music Houshang Javid, 58, and Jahangir Nasri Ashrafi, 60.
Both researchers will deliver lectures. The event also includes live Turkmen music to be performed by Tuwaq Saadati, (a bagshi or Turkmen singer and dutar master, also spelled as bakhshy), dutar player Rasoul Saadati, ney player Haji Mohammad Ayri and dutar player and instructor Hamid Rejim.
The bakhshy are traditional Turkmen musicians. Historically, they have been traveling singers and shamans, acting as healers and spiritual figures, and also providing the music for celebrations of weddings, births, and other important life events.
They sing either a cappella or to the accompaniment of traditional instruments, primarily dutar. The Turkmen bakshy tradition is closely related to the larger Turkic Ashik tradition.
The major instruments used by the Turkmen include dutar, a plucked two-stringed lute; gargi tuyduk, a long flute blown at one end, gichak, a spike fiddle and gopuz, a jaw harp.
The program venue is Iran Hall at the academy which is located at No. 1552, 6th floor, intersection of Valiasr Ave. and Taleqani Street.
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