Abbos Kasımov

02.10.2016 Master Class & Söyleşi

Beşiktaş mağazamızda “Abbos Kasımov” için  yapacak olduğumuz "Master Class & Söyleşi” etkinliği düzenlenecektir. Giriş 100TL ücretidir.

Abbos Kosimov is widely appreciated as an international phenomenon; through his dynamic performances Abbos is recognized globally as a master of dorya and an ambassador of Uzbek culture. Abbos was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan to a highly musical family. He studied at the College of Culture and Music under doyra master Mamurjon Vahabov and graduated in 1984. He also trained from the age of ten with Ustad Tuychi Inagomov, one of the few honored artists officially recognized by the Uzbek head of state. In 1991, Abbos won second prize in Central Asia and Kazakhstan’s Competition of Percussive Instruments.

In 1994, Abbos established his own "Abbos" school where he taught the most talented youth of his country to play doyra. At present time there are more than 100 students in his school of doyra. From 1994 to 1998 he worked as a teacher in Tashkent State Institute of Culture. In 1998, he established the "Abbos" group that featured national music instruments such as karnay, surnay, nogara and qayroq. The group is very popular not only in their country but also abroad.

In 2001, in honor of the 10th anniversary of Uzbekistan's Independence Abbos was awarded with a medal and given the illustrious title of ‘Honored artists of Uzbekistan’ by the president Uzbekistan. From 2001 to 2005 Abbos successfully participated in numerous international festivals, concerts and university workshops in the United States, Canada, England, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, The United Emirates, Austria, Italy, Japan, Germany, France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Greece, Bangkok, Taiwan, Australia, India, Malaysia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.

In 2005, Abbos moved to the United States and he has since performed with artists such as Randy Gloss, Austin Wrinkle, Houman Pourmehdi, Andrew Grueschow, Adam Rudolph, Zakir Hussain, Giovanni Hidalgo, Terry Bozzio, Swapan Chaudhuri, Alim Qasimov, Simon Shaheen, and Hassan Hakmoun at the World Music Institute.

Abbos has recorded independently as well as with R&B singer Steve Wonder and with Zakir Hussain for the soundtrack of Alonzo King’s new Lines Ballet piece ‘A Thousand and One Nights’ which premiered in Monte Carlo in November 2009. Most recently, Abbos performed at Carnegie Hall with Kronos Quartet, Dohee Lee, Homayoun Sakhi and Alim Qasimov Ensemble in March 2010.

In 2008, Abbos was the recipient of ‘Best Musical Composition’ award from the prestigious Isadora Duncan Dance Award for his collaboration with dancer Tara Pandeya at the 2007 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. In 2009, Abbos was awarded the Alliance for California Traditional Arts (ACTA) Apprenticeship grant to teach dorya rhythms as a master artist and mentor to Central Asian dancer and mentee Tara Pandeya. Following his participation in ACTA apprenticeship, Abbos co-founded the non-profit group ‘East West Centerpoint’ with artist Tara Pandeya to promote the arts and cultures of Central Asia. The organization strives to build dialogue, interest, tolerance and cross-cultural understanding between the Eastern and Western cultures through the preservation and development of Central Asian performing arts, education and research.

 In 2008 Abbos produced an instructional DVD on the doyra and in 2009 he authored a book on dorya performing arts, both of which are available for sale through his website. Abbos is currently working on composition for many exciting new upcoming projects and has dedicated his life to preservation and development of Uzbek percussive arts.  

When asked about doyra, Abbos said: "Uzbek culture and national identity is deeply rooted in its music and dance traditions.  As such, doira has grown with the country over time and evolved to play a deeper role in reflecting Uzbek history, religion, heritage, and cultural traditions... Doira is my life and I cannot live without it."

Abbos Kasımov Master Class — Mephisto Book-Music Cafe, Besiktas, Istanbul'da.