The Coronavirus pandemic has created massive uncertainty and challenges for many. This includes performers and musicians who cannot take the stage. During this time of uncertainty, classical cellist Jamal Aliyev has teamed up with pianist Maksim Štšura and the Young Classical Artists Trust – YCAT. Their goal: to bring music lovers a soothing online performance.
In this special online performance Aliyev and Štšura have performed Franz Schubert’s classic composition “Ave Maria”. To achieve this, they collaborated with the UK-based classic music radio channel, Classic FM, to bring this performance to audiences who can no longer go see live music.
Jamal Aliyev already a rising star at the age of 26
One of the most prominent cellists in recent generations, Aliyev has risen to historic prominence as a young age. To date, the 26-year-old Azerbaijani musician has performed widely in the UK, continental Europe, and Asia, as well as in South America.
Aliyev made his solo debut with the BBC Concert Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall in July 2017. Other major accomplishments include the prestigious Arts Club – Sir Karl Jenkins Music Award, and selection for representation by YCAT.
Additionally, Aliyev released the album Russian Masters with pianist Anna Fedorova. Gramophone, a leading outlet of classical music reviews, had high praise for the album. Specifically, they lauded Aliyev and Fedorova for their harmony and the “countless little touches of imaginative colour” that they bring to Russian classics.
In 2018 alone, Aliyev appeared as a soloist with the City of Birmingham Symphony, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Istanbul Symphony, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Turkey, the Symphony Orchestra Simón Bolívar of Venezuela, and more.
The next year, he collaborated with renowned Turkish pianist Fazıl Say. He shared the stage with Say and violinist Elvin Hoxha Ganiyev at a recital in Istanbul. Aliyev has also performed at the Trans-Siberian Festival, and in Bucharest, Beijing, Moscow, and more.
Studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School in Britain opens new doors
Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, Aliyev started performing live in front of audiences in 1998, just 5 years old. At the age of 9, he won the prize at Trakya International competition. After that, at 11, he won the Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition.
This early success soon led to invitations from a number of prestigious schools. Most notably, the Moscow Conservatory Central Music School and the Yehudi Menuhin School in London. Eventually, Aliyev chose the latter, and moved to London at the age of 14.
Aliyev currently plays a Giovanni Battista Gabrielli cello (1756). A private individual through the Beare’s International Violin Society loaned him the impressive instrument.
He cites his performance at the Royal Albert Hall as the “most memorable performance in [his] life.” At this event, Aliyev performed for the anniversary concert of the world famous Hollywood composer John Williams. In fact, Williams “chose all the performers himself” to perform in front of 7,000 spectators.
However, Aliyev cannot discount his fondness for the Musicians’ Company prize he won in 2017, nor the award of Fazıl Say, whom he calls an idol.
Jamal Aliyev and Štšura’s “Ave Maria” performance provides comfort from Coronavirus
The joint performance of Schubert’s 1825 classic composition “Ave Maria” features Aliyev on the cello and Štšura on the piano. They have dedicated it to all those dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic and the challenges it poses. Classic FM shared the performance with audiences. In addition, they offered the hope that this performance could provide “comfort during times of uncertainty.”
Watch the performance below, and find more updates on Aliyev’s career on his personal website here.
