THE CELLO MASTER

Waiting for Spring – that is a poetic name of the chamber music concert given in the big hall of the Uzeyir Hajibeyov Baku Music Academy (BMA). It was attended by the Honored Artist of Azerbaijan Eyyub Aliyev (cello), Elina Aliyeva (violin), and Narmin Efendiyeva (piano), who came from Canada. She is a BMA graduate, who has been living in Toronto for the past six years, is the music director of Opera in Concerto and works as a pianist at the university. On that evening, they performed masterpieces of romantic music including sonatas of Frank, Brahms and Mendelssohn’s trio. After the concert, Eyyub Aliyev was interviewed by our correspondent.

- Did you have musical abilities as a child?

- My aunts had received initial musical education, and my mother was a soloist of the amateur choir. At the age of seven, I was taken to the music school for the gifted children named after Bulbul to be registered to either a piano or violin class. Since the enrollment period for these instruments was over, director of the school, Nazim Aliverdibeyov, suggested the cello class and added that this instrument is rare and it is possible to achieve great success. I am very grateful to Nazim-muallim for his advice. If only he could see that a little boy, whom he recommended to study playing the cello, is now a concertmaster of the prestigious symphony orchestra named after Uz. Hajibeyov, which performs in different countries... My mentor at school was Gara Aliyev, who did not let me go on tour with the school chamber orchestra but advised me to participate in the republican contest of young performers named after Asaf Zeynalli, where I took the first place. I was always lucky with teachers: Professor Rasim Abdullayev, Professor Yuri Abdullayev, Professor Eldar Isgenderov. All of them are renowned musicians of our country. I also happened to participate four times at master classes of Maestro Rostropovich in Baku. He drew my attention to the nuances, phrasing, and performing music.

- How long did you study at home when you were a pupil, student, and graduate?

- Taking classes at home is important as far as the quality of the work is concerned. It requires a lot of mental work. I teach my students the same. I really love children, I talk with them, I joke, I try to turn lessons into a game, so that they do not get bored sitting with cello. In school, I gave home games up to two hours a day, and when I decided to become a professional musician, I devoted more time to my lessons.

- What are the duties of a concertmaster?

- I work on finger notation, note the strokes, and explain the remarks of conductor. If necessary, I teach my group separately from the orchestra, as if I were a small conductor. The whole responsibility for the performance of the cello group lies with me. I love my instrument and profession. That's why nothing is hard for me, I only enjoy. It is a shame that in such a civilized country like Azerbaijan, this wonderful European instrument is hardly known, and is often called a double bass, guitar, big violin…

- How can we improve the situation?

- Since the cello is in demand in almost every orchestra, except for the brass and folk instruments, it is necessary to broadly advertise the beauty of the sound of this instrument. For example, in Turkey, a cello is very popular, and learning to play this instrument is a big problem - many people are interested. We need to interest students and even, if possible, encourage a small scholarship.

- What are you working on now?

- I am studying Prokofiev’s concert-symphony for cello and orchestra. I will play with our orchestra, and Elshad Bagirov will conduct. This concert is dedicated to the outstanding contemporary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and was performed by him previously. A very complex work, designed for a great virtuoso. The performance is expected at the beginning of April. It will be performed in Baku for the first time and dedicated to the 90^th anniversary of the great maestro.

- Have you ever thought about leaving the country and working in any famous orchestra abroad?

- There were opportunities but I had not any plans. I chose to stay in my homeland and work for the good of my people.

- How do you help your compatriots?

- I have long been known in the musical circle and young musicians and composers often ask to perform a cello in new performances, which I always do gratuitously.

- The trio you have played with at the concert… Would you like to make it an alternative state ensemble?

- I'm used to do my job perfectly. I'm afraid it will be difficult to combine. For now, we will play for ourselves.

- Tell us about your family.

 - Our family is small. My wife is a violinist, also an orchestra artist. We studied together at BMA. My daughter is in the eighth grade. She has an exquisite musical taste, and she plays piano for herself. She is swimming, loves animals and is fond of intellectual tasks, which she finds not only on the Internet but also in magazines and newspapers.

- What do you do in your spare time?

- I really like cooking for my family and guests. On tours, I always take a look at national cuisines. I am glad that Azerbaijani food leaves behind the dishes of other nations. I like collecting small cars, not necessarily collectables. In our family, we like reading not only detectives but also psychological novels. Returning to music, I would say that a musician should listen to a variety of music. From classics to mugham and folklore, meykhana, as well as pop, rock, or jazz. I try working with my instrument every day to stay ready for concerts and improve my experience of the past years.