National Music Day

The great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli was born on 18 September 1885 in Aghjabadi and grew up in Shusha. In 1908 his opera Leyli and Majnun was staged — the first opera in the Muslim East.

He wrote the musical comedies Arshin Mal Alan and If Not That One, Then This One and the opera Koroglu. He composed the anthem of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which is still the national anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan today. He was among the founders of the national conservatory and a scholar of mugham.

Establishing the day

A decree by Heydar Aliyev in 1995 declared Hajibeyli's birthday, 18 September, National Music Day. Concerts are held across the country, people visit his house museum in Baku and his monument in Shusha, and the Uzeyir Hajibeyli International Music Festival takes place every year.