On the 29^th of April the presentation ceremony of the monograph “Performing features of the Goycha ashiq school” by Honored Art Worker of the Republic of Azerbaijan Fakhraddin Atayev was held at the Azerbaijan University of Languages (AUL).

Opening the presentation with the introductory speech, Associate Professor Hagigat Hajiyeva, Head of the Department of Foreign languages in education and the Western Azerbaijan Center at AUL, provided information about the scientific and ideological significance of the monograph. She brought to attention the views of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev regarding the fact that Western Azerbaijan was our historical land and the strategic importance of returning to those territories.

At the event, the editor of the book, academician Mukhtar Imanov, head of the Azerbaijani Literature Department at AUL, noted that Fakhraddin Atayev’s research combined folklore and music-study. In the book the genetics and performance characteristics of the Goycha ashiq environment, conducted a typological analysis of the Ganjabasar, Borchali, Agbaba-Childir, Dereleyez, Shirvan, Tabriz and Urmia ashiq environments and the Goycha ashiq performance tradition, identified their points of similarity and difference were explained, the issues of preserving archaic memory and representing the genealogy of art in the master-song tradition were studied.

The event was attended by employees of the Institute of Folklore, including the head of the Ashiq Creativity Department of the Institute of Folklore, Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Associate Professor Tajir Gurbanov, Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Associate Professor Shakir Albaliyev and Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Associate Professor Vefa Ibrahim.

Speaking at the event, Head of the Ashiq Creativity Department, Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Associate Professor Tajir Gurbanov noted that in the presented book, Fakhraddin Atayev analyzed systematically the formation features, performing traditions, poetic and musical characteristics of the Goycha ashiq school. By studying the different aspects of the Goycha ashiq environment from other ashiq schools, the author had created an opportunity to more deeply understand the internal diversity and richness of Azerbaijani ashiq art.

Speaking at the event, leading researcher of the Mythology Department, Doctor of Sciences in Philology, Associate Professor Shakir Albaliyev mentioned that the presented work comprehensively covered not only theoretical issues, but also the practical performance aspects of the ashiq art. Fakhraddin Atayev turned to the creativity of various ashiqs and analyzed their performance characteristics comparatively and increased the scientific value of the research by using rich folklore materials. However, the author had presented the topic systematically and paid special attention to terminological accuracy.

Leading researcher of the department “Ceremonial Folklore and National Culinary Traditions” of the Institute of Folklore, Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Associate Professor Vefa Ibrahim noted in her speech that the presentation of such works for the English-speaking audience was of particular importance. The presentation of Azerbaijani folklore, especially a specific and rich tradition such as the Goycha ashiq school in English allowed it to be recognized internationally.

The research work was carried out at the Institute of Folklore. The scientific editor of the book is Professor Naila Rahimbeyli, the reviewer and author of the foreword is Academician Mukhtar Imanov, the technical editor is Doctor of Philology Shakir Albaliyev, the translator into English is Doctor of Philosophy in Philology, Associate Professor Vefa Ibrahim and the designer is Aytajkhanim Atayeva.