The first concerts of the VIII Gabala International Music Festival gained the affection of spectators.

Gabala captivating everyone with its fascinating nature again gathered music lovers together. The first concert of the International music festival, conducted in Gabala with organizational support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, was remembered for the performance of youths. A chamber concert of known young pianists and musicians of Azerbaijan took place on July 30 in the Congress-center named after Heydar Aliyev according to the program. During the chamber concert with participation of the soloist of the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic, winner of many international contests, and participant of music festivals, pianist Tofig Shikhiyev, the author of symphonic, chamber, vocal, and piano works, professor of the Baku music academy named after U.Hajibeyli, pianist Jeyhun Allahverdiyev, the student of the Baku music academy named after U.Hajibeyli, a president scholar, pianist Vurgun Vekilov, a student of a secondary special musical school named after Bulbul, a president scholar, pianist Gular Aghayeva, vocalists – soloist of Azerbaijan television and radio Aytaj Shikhalizade and a soloist of the Azerbaijan state philharmonic, Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre Taleh Yahyayev – F.Chopin's "Fantaisie", "Études" and "Prelude" of S.Rachmaninoff, "Poeme" of A.Scriabin, Nyazi's "Song of the Motherland", "Odlar Yurdu" of M.Magomayev , and works of other worldwide known composers sounded. Then a concert of the Azerbaijan State chamber orchestra named after Gara Garayev took place. An interesting concert program was performed consisting of works of Azerbaijani and European composers, performed by known opera singers, people's artists of Azerbaijan, Professors of the Baku music academy Fidan and Khuraman Gasimovas. An honored worker of arts, people's artist, conductor Teymur Goychayev conducted the concert. Both concerts drew attention of local and foreign music lovers and were greeted with loud applause. We should note that the eminent musicians, performance ensembles, soloists, and conductors from Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA, Italy, France, Spain, Israel, Lithuania, and Cuba will take part at the festival till August 5.