Dushanbe to Host International Conference on Borbad Marvazi’s Legacy in Eastern Traditional Music
Dushanbe, The Gulf Observer: Tajikistan’s National Conservatory, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, will host an international scientific and practical conference in Dushanbe in November 2026 under the theme, “The Historical Contribution of Borbad Marvazi to the Development of Eastern Traditional Music.”
The announcement was made by the Rector of the National Conservatory of Tajikistan, Bahodur Davlatzoda, during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Davlatzoda said the conference is being organized in implementation of the directives issued by President Emomali Rahmon in his annual address to the Supreme Assembly on December 16, 2025. The event aims to promote scholarly research into the life, works, and enduring influence of Borbad Marvazi, one of the most celebrated figures in the history of Persian and Eastern music.
Describing Borbad as an unparalleled master of music, Davlatzoda noted that the legendary artist excelled as a singer, instrumentalist, composer, and court musician during the Sassanian era. He is widely recognized as the founder of the classical cyclical system of Eastern art music and remains one of the most influential figures in the region’s musical heritage.
Deputy Rector for Science and International Relations at the National Conservatory, Lutfullo Sharifzoda, said the conference would play a significant role in advancing research, preservation, and revival of Borbad Marvazi’s artistic legacy.
He highlighted that the National Conservatory’s Faculty of Traditional Tajik Music continues to preserve and teach the country’s classical musical traditions, including Shashmaqom, Falak, and other ancient musical forms.
In his address to parliament, President Rahmon emphasized the importance of safeguarding Tajikistan’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage and promoting it internationally. He also instructed the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture to undertake the necessary measures to nominate Borbad Marvazi for inclusion in UNESCO’s List of Outstanding Cultural Personalities, in recognition of his historic contribution to world culture.
The President noted that Borbad, who lived and created during the 6th and 7th centuries in the Sassanian period, has been acknowledged by renowned international scholars as one of the earliest music theorists and professional composers of the ancient Aryan cultural sphere.
Scholars also point out that, in addition to his profound influence on the development of the maqom tradition, Borbad’s legacy is closely associated with the ancient musical performance style known as “Marvi,” “Marvicha,” or “Marvikhoni,” which continues to exist in Tajik musical traditions today.
Researchers from the Research Institute of Culture and Information under Tajikistan’s Ministry of Culture described the initiative to seek UNESCO recognition for Borbad Marvazi as timely and well-deserved, underscoring Tajikistan’s rich civilizational and cultural heritage and the global significance of one of its greatest musical pioneers.
