By Vestnik Kavkaza
The 3rd International Muslim Magomayev Vocal Contest was concluded in Moscow last weekend. Performers from 9 countries took part in it. The 14 best artists selected from hundreds of vocalists came to the stage of Crocus City Hall. Artsunbaatar Ganbaatar, a bass-baritone from Mongolia, became the winner of the contest.
He said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza: “I am very glad to take part in a contest named after a great singer. The contest gave me a feeling that I can do very much in art. At the second International Muslim Magomayev Vocal Contest, our Mongolian singer took part, I learned from him that there is such an amazing contest held. Mongolian people love the art of Muslim Magomayev. My parents love his songs a lot. My favourite song of Magomayev is “Melody,” although I like most of his songs.”
Liparit Avetisyan from Armenia and Pavel Petrov from Belarus were both ranked second. “It is a beautiful contest. The organization is superb. The hall is simply superb. Thanks to the judges, and to everyone who organized it. It was simply fantastic. The idea of participating in the contest is old. Vocalists from Belarus have always been coming to the contest, I learned about it from them. All the songs performed by Magomayev are very beautiful, especially the ones written by Arno Babajanian.” Pavel Petrov told Vestnik Kavkaza.
Mezzo-soprano Aytadzh Shikhalizadeh and tenor Azer Rza-zadeh from Azerbaijan won joint third positions.
“Of course, I am happy to be a laureate. It is an honour for me to represent my country at such a prestigious contest,” Rza-zadeh told Vestnik Kavkaza, “It is nice that vocalists from all over the world come to the contest named after the great Azerbaijani singer Muslim Magomayev. For me, it is more than an award. I would like to thank everyone for their efforts, so that it was held at the top level. What attracts me in Muslim Magomedovich’s art is that, besides the voice, the tempo, he plays with colours. Muslim Magomayev lived on the stage, he was an actor, he played with colours, he was creating. This is the most important thing in a singer. I think it is what made him Muslim Magomayev.”
“The impressions at the contest are certainly enormous. Great thanks to everyone supporting us, those who were cheering for us. Thanks to the jury that rated us. It is very tranquil in my soul, because the contest is a contest of Muslim Magomayev,” says Aytadzh Khikhalizadeh, “It is the contest of a man who comes from Azerbaijan. His voice has been an example for us since childhood. I am very glad to achieve something at the contest. Third position is a lot.”
Sergey Zakharov, a judge, a Soviet and Russian singer, an Honorary Artist of Russia, described the secrets of the contest to Vestnik Kavkaza: “Muslim had a rare gift. He could instantly switch from the variety school to classical and vice versa. I know from personal experience that it is extremely hard. I was learning it for 20 years. Switching to the variety manner and back is very hard. And vice versa. It is double-mastery. That is why we came up with the contest, to find universal artists, multi-sided, multi-talented. Singing in different genres means changing the skill. Changing the skill is very hard for a man who has used a classical voice for over 5-6 years. But the guys used a trick. They started singing Italian variety. Thus, they bypassed the problem. Performers from Mongolia are amazing, they have a big heart, big emotions, and they give a feeling that they know the Russian language perfectly. They do not know the Russian language, but they sing intuitively, with their heart, with their soul.”
