Gurminj Museum
Encyclopedia
The Gurminj Museum of Musical Instruments ( or Gurminj Museum) is a museum
located in the center of Dushanbe
, Tajikistan
, behind the Office of the Mayor on Bokhtar Street.
(1929–2003), Tajik actor and musician, who was honored as a National Artist of Tajikistan and a laureate
of the most prestigious national prize in arts for significant contributions to the cultural heritage of Tajikistan - the Rudaki State Prize. After his death in 2003, his son Iqbol Zavkibekov (also a professional musician) took charge of the Museum.
and Badakhshani
musical tradition. The collection is dominated by string instruments, such as the tar
, rubab, Pamiri rubab
, tanbur, dutor
, setor
, qashqar, and ghizhak. There are also number of drums such as tabl
, daf
, and doyra.
The collection was gathered by Gurminj Zavkibekov during his trips to his native Kuhistoni-Badakhshon. There are number of other instruments that do not belong the to the Pamiri traditional instruments and some other casual items of antiquariat are for display at the museum.
. Gurminj's son Iqbol Zavkibekov is the arts director of the band, which operates out of an apartment near the museum.
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
located in the center of Dushanbe
Dushanbe
-Economy:Coal, lead, and arsenic are mined nearby in the cities of Nurek and Kulob allowing for the industrialization of Dushanbe. The Nurek Dam, the world's highest as of 2008, generates 95% of Tajikistan's electricity, and another dam, the Roghun Dam, is planned on the Vakhsh River...
, Tajikistan
Tajikistan
Tajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
, behind the Office of the Mayor on Bokhtar Street.
History
The museum was founded in 1990 by Gurminj ZavkibekovGurminj Zavkibekov
Tajik actor and musician- Gurminj Zavqibekov was born on May 1, 1929, in the village of Shujand in Rushon, GBAO, Tajikistan.Zavqibekov graduated from the Tashkent Institute of Theater and Painting named after Ostrovsky in 1954...
(1929–2003), Tajik actor and musician, who was honored as a National Artist of Tajikistan and a laureate
Laureate
In English, the word laureate has come to signify eminence or association with literary or military glory. It is also used for winners of the Nobel Prize.-History:...
of the most prestigious national prize in arts for significant contributions to the cultural heritage of Tajikistan - the Rudaki State Prize. After his death in 2003, his son Iqbol Zavkibekov (also a professional musician) took charge of the Museum.
Collection
There are about 100 musical instruments in the Museum collection mostly representing the PamiriPamiri people
Pamiri is the name of an Iranian ethnic group in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Province in Tajikistan.-Ethnic Identity:The Pamiris are composed of people who speak the Pamiri languages, the indigenous language in the Gorno-Badakhshan autonomous province, and adhere to the Ismaili sect of Shia...
and Badakhshani
Badakhshan
Badakhshan is an historic region comprising parts of what is now northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. The name is retained in Badakhshan Province which is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the far northeast of Afghanistan, and contains the Wakhan Corridor...
musical tradition. The collection is dominated by string instruments, such as the tar
Tar (lute)
The tār is a long-necked, waisted Iranian instrument. It has been adopted by other cultures and Azerbaijan. The word tar itself means "string" in Persian, though it might have the same meaning in languages influenced by Persian or any other branches of Iranian languages like Kurdish...
, rubab, Pamiri rubab
Pamiri rubab
The Pamiri rubab is a fretless six-strung lute, carved from a single piece of wood with a skin head. It is played in the Badakhshan region of Tajikistan, as part of the Pamiri musical tradition....
, tanbur, dutor
Dutar
The dutar is a traditional long-necked two-stringed lute found in Iran, Central Asia and South Asia...
, setor
Tar (lute)
The tār is a long-necked, waisted Iranian instrument. It has been adopted by other cultures and Azerbaijan. The word tar itself means "string" in Persian, though it might have the same meaning in languages influenced by Persian or any other branches of Iranian languages like Kurdish...
, qashqar, and ghizhak. There are also number of drums such as tabl
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
, daf
Daf
A daf is a frame drum used as a musical instrument in popular and classical music. The term daf is used in Iran / Kurdistan for a large drum that has a series of four interlinked rings in the frame. Daf is mostly used in Middle East, Iran, Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and ...
, and doyra.
The collection was gathered by Gurminj Zavkibekov during his trips to his native Kuhistoni-Badakhshon. There are number of other instruments that do not belong the to the Pamiri traditional instruments and some other casual items of antiquariat are for display at the museum.
Cultural events
The museum also hosts a variety of cultural gatherings and events, many featuring the Tajik musical ensemble Shams and their soloist Nobovar ChanorovNobovar Chanorov
Nobovar Chanorov is a Tajik singer of the Shams group. The Shams and Nobovar Chanorov are known as Beatles of Tajiks....
. Gurminj's son Iqbol Zavkibekov is the arts director of the band, which operates out of an apartment near the museum.