The Turkmen delegation, consisting of cultural and art workers from Mary velayat, took part in the International Festival-Symposium “Shashmakom”, which was held in Dushanbe in May.

Musical ensembles, singers, instrumentalists, scientists and cultural figures from different countries also took part in the forum, the “Neutral Turkmenistan” newspaper reported.

The forum was dedicated to the prospects for the development of traditional music of the peoples of the Near and Middle East in the context of globalism. The activities of the forum were aimed at the widespread popularization of the national musical art of “shashmakom”, acquaintance with the national musical art of other peoples of the East and events held in these countries to preserve, develop, promote, revive and further introduce traditional music into modern society.

The Turkmen delegation included famous performers of Turkmen folk songs. Honored Bakhshi of Turkmenistan Meretgeldy Tunniyev performed songs based on the poems of Magtymguly Fragi, as well as the folk song “Ayjemal”, accompanied by tuyduk Muhamed Saparov. Bagshy Maksat Atayev demonstrated his skill in playing the dutar. Accompanied by an ensemble, he performed folk songs Selbiniýaz and Bu gün. The real art of singing and playing the dutar was demonstrated by bagshy Akmurad Yakubov. He performed the folk song Serwi agajy from the destan Soltansoýün Baýkara.

Master classes were given by bagshy Maksat Atayev and sazandar Mergen Jumayev. They performed the folk song Näzli gelin.
Within the framework of the festival-symposium, a scientific conference was also held, at which dutarist Babajan Babajanov addressed the audience with a report “Turkmen art of bagshy”.

It was no coincidence that a composition was formed to participate in the forum from representatives of one of the unique historical regions of Turkmenistan: after all, the famous Merv, a city with a rich and developed culture, famous for its bagshy and musicians, once flourished here.

For participation in the forum, the Turkmen delegation was awarded a special diploma from the organizers.