Content area
Full text
Abstract
The main reason for the establishment of the Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival in Samarkand by the government of Uzbekistan in 1997 was to preserve the cultural heritage of the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The aim of this study is to analyse the motivations, assessments and opinions connected with the artists' participation in the festival in order to understand the nature of the impact exerted by the festival on the artists. The findings enabled a deeper exploration of the artists' need to discuss more widely the practical dimensions of the identity of the peoples involved and their spiritual heritage.
Introduction
The largest and the most important Central Asian festival is held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan: the Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival, established by a ministerial resolution in 1997. 1 The festival was established with two important objectives in mind. The first was to undertake special activities to rediscover and preserve lost cultural traditions (especially in the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus); and among other things, to present the melodies and songs of this intangible cultural heritage of countries from all continents. Secondly, the festival was designed to develop intercultural dialogue between all communities in the world over any language or cultural barriers and initiate a meeting and cooperation of musicians at the international level. The festival takes place every two years. In 2011, a special edition of the festival was organised, celebrating the 20 th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence, while the 8th edition of the Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival was held in the same year.
Samarkand, a city of significant symbols for Eastern culture, was selected as the festival location. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, situated on the ancient Great Silk Road. For many centuries, Samarkand was an oasis of dialogue among various nations and cultures. Numerous languages, traditions and cultural experiences of nations from all over Asia met in this gem of the East. 2
The organisers of the music tournament are the following: the President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, the Ministry of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, national television, the Union of Composers of Uzbekistan, Samarkand regional authorities and t he United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation...