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Inaugural event of the Aga Khan Music Awards

Speaker: 
Dr. Isabel Mota
Speech Date: 
Friday, 29 March 2019 - 9:30pm

"This is a time of great pressure. Once again in the history of humanity, we see religious and cultural identities being manipulated in order to foment violence and intolerance towards others and their cultural heritage. We need a world in which different identities and cultures are respected and where we can share an idea of common good."

Tunisian artist amongst the laureates of the 'Aga Khan Music Awards 2019

Tunisian artist Badiaa Bouhrizi was awarded the Aga Khan Music Award in 2019 in the category of "Social Inclusion" among participants from 13 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. The songwriter Badiaa Bouhrizi, also known by her stage name Neysatu, has used her musical talent to promote social justice and the values of pluralism and democracy.

Aga Khan launches awards for Middle East, North Africa, South Asia musicians, music heritage preservation

The Aga Khan Music Awards initiative has announced winners in a number of categories this week, while the winner for the music award in performance is to be revealed 30 March in Lisbon. In it's inaugural edition this year, several Aga Khan Music Awards winners have been announced with the performance award to be revealed 30 March during a gala in Lisbon. Focusing on musicians, music education institutions and initiatives, and musical heritage from the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, the laureates revealed each have made a remarkable contribution to their field.

Egyptian oud player, composer Mustafa Said among nominees at Aga Khan Music Awards

Egyptian oud player, singer, composer, musicologist, and music teacher Mustafa Said is among the 14 nominees for the performance category at the inaugural edition of the Aga Khan Music Awards. The final winner will be announced on 30 March during the celebration to be held in Lisbon, Portugal. Said studied oud at the Arabic Oud House in Cairo, and learned Western music at the Haldey School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. In parallel, he earned a degree in linguistics and English literature from Ain Shams University and two M.A. degrees in musicology from the High Institute of Music of Antonine University in Lebanon.

2019 Aga Khan Music Awards Laureates and Finalists announced

The Master Jury of the Aga Khan Music Awards has announced laureates and finalists for the Awards’ inaugural cycle. The Music Awards were established by His Highness to recognise exceptional creativity, promise, and enterprise in music performance, creation, education, preservation and revitalisation in societies across the world in which Muslims have a significant presence. A three-day celebration of the Awards will be hosted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal from 29-31 March. Finalists for the Award in Performance will perform for a live audience, including the Master Jury, following which the laureate in Performance will be announced at an Award ceremony on the evening of 31 March.

Gurminj Museum among 2019 Aga Khan Music Awards laureates

The Master Jury of the Aga Khan Music Awards (AKMA) has announced laureates and finalists for the Awards’ inaugural cycle and the Gurminj Museum is among 2019 AKMA laureates. The Gurminj Museum and Farhod Halimov, a singer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer from Samarqand, Uzbekistan, have become laureates in the Preservation, Revitalisation and Dissemination category. The Gurminj Museum of Musical Instruments (or Gurminj Museum) is a museum located in the center of Dushanbe. The museum was founded in 1990 by renowned Tajik actor and musician Gurminj Zavqibekov Gurminj Zavqibekov (1929–2003). There are about 100 musical instruments in the Museum collection mostly representing the Pamiri and Badakhshani musical tradition. 

Syrian Buzuq player Mohamad Osman in the finalist of candidates for the Aga Khan Music Awards

The 9 laureates and 14 finalists come from 13 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and North America and represent diverse forms of professional achievements including: music creation; education; preservation, revitalisation and dissemination; social inclusion, and distinguished and enduring contributions to music; a special Patron’s Award; in addition to the Performance Award. The Syrian Buzuq player Mohamad Osman has been chosen in the finalist of candidates for the Aga Khan Music Awards 2019. The Aga Khan Music Awards emerged from the Aga Khan Music Initiative (AKMI), an interregional music and arts education programme with worldwide performance, outreach, mentoring and artistic production activities. The award has been launched to support talented musicians and music educators working to preserve, transmit, and further develop their musical heritage in contemporary forms.

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