Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

Corresponding member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences Fikret Mashadi Jamil oglu Amirov was born on November 22, 1922 in Ganja city. He is the founder of the symphonic mugham genre in the history of Azerbaijani music. The creativity of the great composer is one of the brightest pages of the 20th century Azerbaijani music history.

F. Amirov graduated from the Azerbaijan State Conservatory in 1939-1948 (U.Hajibeyli and B.Zeydman's class). In 1942-43 worked as the artistic director of the Ganja State Philharmonic Hall and Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall named after M.Magomayev in 1947, director of the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater named after M.F.Akhundov (1956-1959), secretary of the USSR Composers Union, 1974 Member of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic in 1980, and corresponding member of the Azerbaijan SSR Academy of Sciences in 1980.

His most famous pieces include symphonic works such as "Shur" (1946), Kurd Ovshari (1949), "Azerbaijan Capriccio" (1961), "Gulustan Bayati-Shiraz" (1968), "The Legend of Nasimi" (1977), "To the Memory of the Heroes of the Great National War" (1944), "Double Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra" (1948) etc.

His ballets include "Nizami" (1947) and Arabian Nights, which premiered in 1979. Amirov wrote the opera "Sevil" in 1953. He also wrote a number of pieces for the piano including "Ballad," "Ashug's Song," "Nocturne," "Humoreska," "Lyrical Dance," "Waltz," "Lullaby" and "Toccata."

He also wrote numerous film scores. Michelle Kwan, World Champion Ice Skater from the U.S. used Fikret Amirov's symphonic piece "Gulustan Bayati-Shiraz" in her skating program "Taj Mahal" in 1996.

In 1949 he was awarded the State Prize of the USSR in 1955, Honored Art Worker in 1955, the Honorary Artist of the USSR in 1965, the Republican Lenin Komsomol Prize in 1967. He was awarded the Order of Lenin (1959), the Gold Medal of "Oraq and Chakic".

Corresponding member of ANAS Fikrat Amirov died on February 20, 1984 in Baku and was buried in Honorary Alley.