An Azerbaijani Pianist’s Footprints in Anatolia: The academic and artistic heritage of Hagigat Maharramov

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive examination of the artistic life, academic career, and artistic activities of Azerbaijani pianist and scholar Prof. Dr. Hagigat Maharramova, particularly focusing on her contributions in Erzurum, Türkiye. The research aims to reveal how the technical and stylistic characteristics she acquired during her musical training were shaped by the fundamental elements of the Azerbaijani musical tradition, and how these elements were reflected in music education in Türkiye. A qualitative research methodology was employed, with data collected through unstructured interviews, document analysis, and press reviews. In the interview conducted with Maharramova, detailed information was obtained regarding her educational background, artistic vision, philosophy of training students, and artistic engagements. The findings show that Maharramova maintained a balanced repertoire by including Azerbaijani, Turkish, and Russian composers, and that she adopted an educational approach that combines technical competence with artistic intuition. The piano days, classical music festivals, and concert series she organized in Erzurum left lasting impressions on both students and the local community. Furthermore, through her initiatives, works belonging to the Azerbaijani musical tradition were performed for the first time in Turkey, thereby strengthening cultural interaction between the two countries. The study demonstrates that Maharramova’s activities in Türkiye made significant contributions to the transmission of the technical, stylistic, and repertoire characteristics of Azerbaijani musical culture through piano education. In this regard, the study fills a gap in the literature by documenting the shared musical heritage of the two countries through the example of a concrete artist, while also offering an original contribution to regional music history research.