Shashmaqam is a centuries old Uzbek-Tadjik music with Muslim-Jewish roots, which was inscribed in UNESCO’s Endangered Cultural Heritage list in 2008 (originally proclaimed in 2003). It is the classical music of Central Asia which was created by Bukharian singers and musicians orally and in the 18th centruy it was compiled in six (Perisan Shash) complex cycles (Maqam).

In regard of Shashmakom project of Goethe Institute Tashkent, the German musicologist and expert in the field of Shashmaqam Dr. Angelika Yung together with the Shashmakam musician Ari Babakhanov led seminars at the Uzbek State Conservatory in Tashkent and Arts College in Bukhara.

A panel discussion in the context of Shashmakom project was held at the Uzbek State Conservatory in Tashkent on April 19. An introductory speech was given by Swiss born Jean-Claude Kuner. Kuner is part of his radio features Bukhara Broadway. Dr. Yung gave a lecture on the history, philosophy and structure of Bukharian Shashmaqam. In addition, she presented her new book in which she discussed the history, philosophy and structure of Bucharian Shashmaqam.

Then, a discussion by Ari Babakhanov, the musicians Artyom Kim, Abror Zufarov and musicologist Alexander Djumaev, Angelika Yung and Otanazar Matyokubov was arranged together to discuss the past, present and future of Shashmaqam.

The event was accompanied by a Bukharian Shashmaqam concert on April 20 at the Uzbek State Conservatory in Tashkent.

The main Bukharian Shashmaqam performer of the event was Ari bobokhonov. He is one of the most prominent living representatives of this tradition. His grandfather Levi Babakhan (1874-1926) was a singer at the court of the last two emirs of Bukhara. Levi Babakhan’s son Moshe Babakhanov (1909-1983) was also a famous vocalist who accompanied himself on tanbur and doira.

Unlike his father and grandfather Ari Babakhanov became pure instrumentalist. Ari Babakhanov (born in 1934 into a Jewish family) studied at the Uzbek State Conservatory in Tashkent in 1950s. After graduation he returned to his home city – Bukhara, where he worked as a teacher at music school. At the same time he started with his father Moshe to arrange Shahmaqam with over 300 traditional parts accordingly.

In 1991 he founded Shashmaqom Ensemble at Bukhara Philarmonic Society which grew within a few years from initial 10 to 19 members. Shortly afterwards, the group under the artistic direciton of Ari Babakhanov performed for Uzbek radio and TV and established itself in the traditional music scene. In 1998 the CD "Ari Babakhanov & Ensemble- Shashmaqam: The tradition of Bukhara" was published by New Samarkand Records.

Because the Bukharian Jewish community of Central Asia has almost dispersed by migration after Uzbekistan’s Independence, Ari Babakhanov’s family searched for new future perspectives and moved to Germany where he has been collaborating with the Musicologist Dr.Angelika Yung in a Shashmaqam research project since 2002.

After 11 years he was invited to Uzbekistan to work together with the Bukharian Shashmaqam ensemble at concerts in Tashkent and Bukhara, the historical and spiritual center of Shashmaqam.

Author: Nilufar Oripova
Photos: Husniddin Ato