BAKHSHI INTERNATIONAL ART FESTIVAL

Terms and conditions of the participation
5 – 10 April, 2019 in Termez, Surkhandarya region, Uzbekistan

The Festival is promoting the bakhshi art which is considered the leading genre of folklore arts of Eastern nations, is preserving, studying promoting and developing folklore traditions and values, encouraging talented performers of bakhshi art.
The Festival is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Participants of the Festival are invited to the festival, consisting of up to 8 persons from each country (up to 4 ensemble members and up to 4 members of the creative team), their living, meals, arrival in Uzbekistan and departure, internal transportation and travel costs are covered by the organizer.

ARTISTS AND TEAMS WISHING TO TAKE PART IN THE COMPETITION SHOULD SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING TO THE ORGANIZER UNTIL FEBRUARY 1:
Participation certificate (resume), participation certificate (resume), creative sample of 30-minute performance recorded in 2 MP3 or CD audio and 1 DVD disc, song lyrics and notes, 3 size-6x9cm color photos. (all documents should be submitted in Uzbek, English and Russian).

The following events in the Festival
• Scientific practical conference on development of bakhshi and epic art;
• Solo performances by foreign and Uzbekistan masters of bakhshi art;
• International competition of bakhshi-poets, storytellers and narrators , as well as folklore teams;
• Festivities, modern program shows about life and creative activity of world famous Uzbekistan people;
• Exibition on bakhshi art history, presentation of scientific-research works and scientific-educational literature in Uzbek, Persian, Arabic, English and Russian;
The Festival ends with solemn awarding ceremony of winners of the Festival competition and a gala concert at Surkhandarya State Art Palace.

Awarding order
Winners of the competition shall be awarded with diplomas, statuettes and prize money:
1st place – (in each direction) 2 x 5000 USD
2nd place – (in each direction) 2 x 3500 USD
3rd place – ( in each direction) 2 x 2500 USD

ART OF BAKHSHI

Music culture of Uzbek nation hasits centuries-old history. Tradition of epic poetry was developed widely in the VI-V centuries BC.

According to sources, “bakhshi” means “educator who promotes enlightenment, knowledge”. To say commonly, bakhshi is artist who sings epics, songs and passes on his/her educational heritage from generation to generation.

Besides theses, the word “Bakhshi” in “Explanation dictionary of Uzbek language” was showed 4meanings: 1- wise, 2 – singer epics, 3 – man treats with reading religious words”, 4 – finance controller in Bukhara khanates.

These 3 meanings of 4 belongs to bakhshi who sings epics. Because among people it is claimed that bakhshi must be clever, wise. Second of them, “bakhshi” expresses as a singer of folklore epics in dictionary. Third of them, from the ancient times the word considers a “bakhshi” treats human soul with magical words from different diseases. At the present and past times, people who sit around bakhshi who is singing, those people will be recovered from illness by listening their magical voices. The founder of Uzbek folklore genre Kh.T. Zarifov informs that the word “Bakhshi” in Mongolian language and Buryat was taken from the words “bakhsha” , bagcha”, These mean “ Teacher, educator” . It is fact that “Bakhshi” s are the most respectful people among the nations.