Murad, a Turkmen Musician
Following the Central Asian film and music festival in Prague, I spoke to Murad Rakhimov (on the photo), a Turkmen dutar (national two string instrument) musician and member of “Silk Road Band” comprised of Central Asian and Afghani musicians in Prague. Listen to two passages of dutar and read the story of Murad, who mastered the traditional style of playing it.
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Murad grew up in Turkmenistan, and, after getting his first dutar from a shop, he and his brother started practicing. “I became interested in playing dutar at the age of 8 or 9”, says Murad. “Back home, I studied the dutar with a traditional teacher. His name was Sapar Ishan, who himself was a student of famous Turkmen destanchi bahshi Gurt Yakubov, a classical singer and musician who tells the epic poems and novels. Traditionally Turkmen bahshi study without notes, and music is transmitted orally from person to person. Each region in Turkmenistan is famous for its own style of music and traditional teachers try to stick to theirs and thus preserve local traditions of playing. Formalized music schools teach dutar by notes and mix the styles.”
In addition to music, Murad is fond of poetry – he was writing himself and volunteered as a leader of a local regional Union for young writers. He was a student of philology at Turkmen State University and a journalist. When he became active in opposition movement Agzybirlik - organized meetings, distributed leaflets – he was being called in and questioned by the KGB.
In 1999 Murad left the country and applied for political asylum in Moscow. Later he was granted asylum in Canada, where he lived for 4 years. Now Murad works at the Turkmen service of RFE/RL in Prague.
“President Saparmurat Niyazov sounds like that he is encouraging people to boost development of national culture and traditions”, says Murad, “However national classic music in Turkmenistan is not being supported by the current regime. In the middle of 1990s, Niyazov dissolved the national orchestra and closed down the Theatre of Opera and Ballet, which hosted performances based on national traditional compositions. Most of the actors of Turkmen ballet left for Russia and other countries, and musicians who didn’t want to praise the Turkmen president in their songs were banned from playing in TV or radio or other official performances. From the beginning of 2000 onwards television did not show any national classic songs anymore, it only broadcasted songs of modern bands, in which they praise president Niyazov, his family or the progress of the country. Thus, national classic singers and musicians can only perform unofficially, on weddings or other community meetings.”
When asked whether he wants to go back home if the regime changes, Murad answered: “Even if the political regime changes, life in Turkmenistan would still not offer any prospects of a decent life in the nearest future”.
Central Asian Prague Ensemble will release their first CD in November 2006.
on November 1st, 2006 at 3:26 pm
Murad, could you e-mail me? I’d like to keep in touch with you and hope that you can share with me information about Turkmenistan.
Waiting for your e-mail.
Nazilya
on November 1st, 2006 at 3:28 pm
I forgot to write my e-mail: nazilya1@mail.ru
on November 2nd, 2006 at 3:36 am
Congrats Murad,
I didn’t know that you are a member of a band. I wonder how you are managing to get the time. Time to work and study and be a muscian. Pleased to hear that you are actually releasing your CD soon. Wow! What an achievement! I know that you are hardworking, dedicated and highly commited person.
Good luck in all your endeavours.
your buddy A. Gebru from Canada.
on November 2nd, 2006 at 7:08 am
Tuweleme, Berekella!
Gayrat et.
on November 2nd, 2006 at 10:12 am
On-mun gujigi bolup yoren sheyle turkmenlerden utanyarin.
on November 2nd, 2006 at 7:43 pm
Berekella, Myrat!
Dowleting artsyn, elinge guller bitsin, kesbingden kemal tap!
on November 3rd, 2006 at 1:48 am
hey gorgeous! beautiful playing. miss you over here. Sara and I are moving to india very soon. perhaps we’ll stop by prague on the way back. we plan to do some touring. i can’t wait to hear your cd when it comes out. i hope you are doing really well over there. i’m living in vancouver right now. far from NL. happy though. nice to hear some news of you. xo
kamila
on November 3rd, 2006 at 10:04 am
Allamurat, ya znal chto ti umeesh pisat i igrat na indiyskom muzikalnom instrumente fizharmonium, no ne znal chto ti eshe igraesh na dutare. molodec, tak derjat. I ti ochen krasiv v nacionalnom kostyume. Naverno polovina turkmenskix devushek soydut s uma kogda uvidyat tebya.
on November 3rd, 2006 at 11:40 am
Hey, Kamila,
If you gonna drop by on the way to Prague, please let me know when it will be. You are very welcome at my place.
DEAR FRIENDS, I am very much touched by your pleasant comments. Thank you very much for your such a nice moral and spiritual support.
yours, Murad
on November 9th, 2006 at 8:38 am
How are you? You look good in the photo. Please, write to me.
on November 9th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Wow, great article, I should really keep watching your articles about central asian culture. Thanks for presenting this artist!
on November 24th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Hi Murad,
I am pleased to hear your music with this instrument. We miss you in Chant with your harmonium. See you again sometime.
on December 27th, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Hi Murad,
You are an inspiration for sure! I met a family from Turkmenistan on Christmas Day - and I was reminded of you….miss our conversations and hope to see you real soon!
Cheers, AnnMarie
on August 18th, 2007 at 1:48 am
salam murad men iran dan yazyarim qawi sazing ochin mennetdar elmdam sag ysha