CULTURE
These days mark the 90th anniversary of the birth of Ustoz Ilyas Efraimovich Malayev CULTURE
These days mark the 90th anniversary of the birth of Ustoz Ilyas Efraimovich Malayev—an outstanding Bukarian Jewish poet, virtuoso musician, singer, Maqom master, connoisseur of Bukharian Shashmaqom, playwright, and founder of the New York-based traditional classical music ensembles “Maqomi Navo” and “Maqom.”
He was a member of the Union of Bukharian Jewish Writers, Poets, and Journalists of the USA, and a man who left a brilliant mark on the history of the musical culture of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as the United States, where he spent the last two decades of his life.
The culture and art of Bukharian Jews in the second half of the 20th and early 21st centuries are unthinkable without the name and creative contribution of Ilyas Mallayev.
In October 1992, Ilyas Mallayev immigrated to the United States with his wife, Muhabbat Shamayeva, and their children, settling in Queens. From his very first days in the new country, his home became a center for the musical culture, poetry, and literature of New York’s Bukharian Jews.
In 1993, Ilyas became the musical director of the “Maqomi Navo” ensemble, which consisted of 24 singers and musicians.
Later, the “Maqom” ensemble was established, gaining recognition in both the USA and Europe. All concerts were held with great success, receiving flattering reviews from authoritative music critics and journalists.
Ilyas Mallayev not only succeeded in creating an ensemble comprising the best Bukharian Jewish singers and musicians from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, but he also contributed his own vision and interpretation to the performance culture of Bukharian Shashmaqom. Concerts in prestigious New York venues—such as Carnegie Hall and Symphony Space—and participation in international festivals in the USA, Europe, Israel, Uzbekistan, and Morocco served as a testament to the recognition of Bukharian Jews’ merits in the development of traditional classical music. Under Ilyas Mallayev’s leadership, CDs featuring recordings of the “Buzruk” and “Navo” Maqoms were released.
Director Boris Katayev staged the play The Singer of His Excellency, based on Ilyas Mallayev’s poetic play Levicha Hofiz – The Singer of His Excellency, which premiered at the Queens Theatre. All members of the “Maqom” ensemble performed on stage, playing the roles of the luminaries of Bukharian Shashmaqom.
We are proud to have worked for many years under the leadership of a man who so loved his Bukharian Jewish people, and our “Maqom” ensemble bears the name of its great son.
In 2008, Ilyas Mallayev passed away. But his music, poems, songs, and magical voice resonate to this day.
With love and gratitude for many years of collaboration,
Svetlana Khanimova-Levitin, Director of the “Maqom” Ensemble
Soloists and Musicians:
*Muhabbat Shamayeva, People’s Artist of Uzbekistan
*Ezro Malakov, People’s Artist of Uzbekistan
*Tamara Katayeva, Excellence in Culture of Tajikistan
*Ochil-Isroel Ibragimov
*Matat Barayev
*Iosif Abramov
*Osher Barayev
This was translated from Russian into English.
