One of the founders of the national composing school, Ashir Kuliyev, would be turning 100 on 21 December.A People’s Artist of the USSR, a People’s Artist of Turkmenistan, a merited cultural worker, a winner of the Magtymguly National Award, a professor of the National Conservatory, he was born on 21 December 1918 in the village of Koshi (now a residential area in Ashgabat).
He completed primary school at the Ilbayev Boarding school.In 1933, Ashir enrolled in the musical department of the college of art, where he studied piano and dutar.
The People’s Artist of the Turkmen SSR, Purli Saryyev, the people’s bagshy, Mylly Tachmyradov, and the merited teacher of the Turkmen SSR, Mariya Geraskina, guided their student into the world of global music culture and were a tremendous influence on the professional development of the future composer.
At the same time, Ashir Kuliyev began working at the Orchestra of Turkmen Folk Instruments led by S.Tumanyan.In 1935, A.Kuliyev met the Russian composer, R.M.Glier, and showed him his first works for piano, Song and Eastern Dance.
It was Glier who advised Ashir to enter the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he studied at the Turkmen department between 1935 and 1941, together with V.Muhatov, M.Kuliyeva, H.Allanurov under supervision of G.I.Litinsky and B.S.Schechter.
In 1939 Ashir composed a first-ever orchestral work in the history of Turkmen music culture, Magnificent Overture.Between 1944 and 1949 he continued his study of composition with Y.A.Shaporin at the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory.
During his years at the conservatory, A.Kuliyev composed the large number of songs and romances to poems by A.S.Pushkin, B.Kerbabayev, K.Burunov.His major works include String Quartet, Suite for Children, piano, Poem, violin and piano, Concert, gijak and orchestra, and several others.
During the Great Patriotic War, A.Kuliyev taught theory at the Ashgabat State College of Music and conducted research on the works of P.Saryyev, T.Suhankuliyev, A.Gunibekov, S.Jepbarov, M.Tachmyradov and others.
At the same time, Kuliyev composed Yusup and Ahmet (opera, in collaboration with B.Schechter), and Abadan (opera, in collaboration with Y.Meytus) that celebrated the heroism of Turkmen warriors.
These works are beautifully interlaced with unique motives of folk music.The Heart is Found in the Desert (ballet, 1975) was a triumphant new addition to the heroic and patriotic works of the composer.
His widely acclaimed pieces composed over the years also include cantatas: Salam, Kurban-Durdy, Karakum River; suites: Flourish, Native Turkmenistan, The Sunny Land; and the symphonic poem, Magtymguly.In 1967, he was elected Chairman of the Board of the Union of Composers of the Turkmen SSR; in 1968 he was elected Secretary of the Board of the Union of Composers of the USSR.
For many years, A.Kuliyev has taught at the D.Ovezov Ashgabat College of Music and the Turkmen National Conservatory.Among his students are prominent composers, A.Agajykov, Ch.Nurymov, N.Halmammedov, D.Nuryyev, R.Rejepov and others.
Ashir Kuliyev is the author and editor of more than 20 manuals.He is the author of a book on solfeggio with reference to Turkmen music (1959) and The Theory of Music in Turkmen language; books Harmony and Vocabulary of Musical Terms in Turkmen Language.
The prominent composer, the advocate of folk music and the teacher who made a tremendous contribution to the establishment and development of the national professional school passed away in August 2000.