NIJAT MASIMOV
Nijat Masimov is a balaban and a saxophone player from Azerbaijan who founded the
Azerbaijan FolkJazz Quintet which performs ethno and fusion jazz mixed with Azerbaijani ethnic music “Mugham” performed on balaban. Azerbaijan FolkJazz is the world’s pioneer in mixing these genres.
Nijat Masimov was an invited performer at national Azerbaijani events organized by the National Chamber Orchestra.
His numerous achievements include:
Grand Prix Diploma at the II Republican contest at the 90th anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, 2013
First Place in the Woodwinds and Brass Competition held in Carnegie Hall, New York, 2014
First Place Laureate of the International Music Talent
Competition held in Carnegie Hall, New York, 2016
Citta di Pesaro XIII International Music Competition held in Pezaro, Italy
First Place recipient
Gold Medal recipient for the best woodwind performer
In 2017, he received a Presidential Scholarship for promoting Azerbaijani music abroad.
In 2017 he gave a solo concert on the balaban entitled "The sound of Balaban" at the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Hall accompanied by the Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra.
In 2018, in Monterey, California he along with People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, Natig Shirinov, presented a world premiere of the "Concert for Balaban and Symphonic Orchestra", composed by Abuzar Manafzade, conducted by Maestro Farkhad Khudyev.
In 2019, as the head of Azerbaijan FolkJazz Quintet, he gave a solo concert called New Tendention. This was the first time in history when Fusion jazz was performed on balaban.
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