Turkmen National Conservatory named after Mai Kuliyeva is preparing a concert in honor of the 65th anniversary of the honored worker of arts of Turkmenistan, composer Sukhan Tuyliev, in this regard, we asked the hero of the day to tell about his work.
- I became a composer by accident, - our conversation with Sukhan Allievich began with this mysterious phrase.
- How is it by chance? Explain, please!
- The fact is that he studied at the conductor-choir department of the Turkmen State Musical College named after. Danatar Ovezov, and, as a guy from Iolotan, lived in a hostel with non-resident children who studied at the department of folk instruments, - Sukhan Allievich began his explanation. – Composer Aman Agadzhikov taught them a composition lesson. I became curious about how music is composed, and I began to take this class too. I got my first writing experience from Aman Agadzhikov. Under his guidance, he wrote a simple piece for oboe, a song and an essay for the choir. Here it would be possible to put an end to it, if after that interest in writing disappeared. But he not only did not disappear, but, on the contrary, increased. However, Aman Agadzhikov left for the House of Creativity, and was replaced by Rejep Rejepov. And already in the 4th year, under the guidance of Rejep Rejepov, I composed 9 piano pieces to be shown at the entrance exams to the composition department of the Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute of Arts (TSPII, now the conservatory). So, curiosity and a small hobby grew into something more, which dramatically changed my future life.
Everything was going as well as possible, but my joy was overshadowed by one fact that haunts me. My teacher of choral conducting Heinrich Stanislavovich Drzhevsky was an extraordinary person. He possessed unique knowledge, which earned him the nickname "The Walking Encyclopedia". In addition to Russian and Turkmen, he was fluent in English, German, French, Italian and Latin, and most importantly, he instilled in me a love for music. I did not dare to admit to him that I was going to continue my education not in choral conducting, but in the composition class. I thought it would offend him greatly. But everything worked out for the best. One day he himself asked me what I was going to do. And I frankly answered that I want to become a composer. To my surprise, he was not offended, but on the contrary, he was delighted and said that he also graduated from the faculty of composition at the Kharkov Conservatory. I knew about this and was always amazed at how a Pole by nationality managed to compose authentic Turkmen music for the choir.
- Judging by your story, you were lucky to have good teachers.
- It really is. At TGPII I studied composition with Professor Veli Mukhatov, Professor Rejep Alayarov taught me polyphony and orchestration. The circumstances in my life were so successful that I was familiar with all the famous Turkmen composers: I studied with someone, made friends with someone, maintained creative contact with someone. The only exception was Danatar Ovezov, who died in 1966, while I came to Ashgabat in 1972 as a 16-year-old boy.
By the way, out of 9 pieces composed under the direction of Rejep Rejepov, I selected 5 and combined them into a cycle for piano "For Children". The first performer of this cycle was my daughter, who performed it at a music school. In honor of this event, I named the cycle “Children” after my daughter, Mai Tuylieva. And with Rejep Rejepov, the cycle made friends with us until the last days of the famous composer.
- The cycle for piano "Children" was created by a student of the music school Sukhan Tuyliev. How did your creativity develop further?
- The most significant works written by me during my studies at the institute are the four-movement "Cantata at the Eternal Flame" on the verses of Nobatkuli Redzhepov and the diploma work "Symphony". I graduated from the institute with a dream to continue my musical education and three years later I entered the assistantship-internship at the Moscow Conservatory. P.I. Tchaikovsky. Under the direction of Yuri Alexandrovich Fortunatov, I wrote the symphonic poem "Bentler". Yuri Alexandrovich lived in Tashkent for some time, so the East was familiar to him. And the poem "Bentler" sounded in an oriental way - in a poetic form, dividing into stanzas.
And yet my main works were born in the 21st century. In 2001, I presented the first cycle of the two-movement symphonic composition "Penda Melodies" No. 1, in 2002 - the second cycle of the three-movement composition "Penda Melodies" for tuyduk garga and string orchestra.
Gradually I switched to the vocal-symphonic genre. In 2008, he wrote the ode "Turkmen Binasy" to the verses of Makhtumkuli. In 2009, for my contribution to the musical culture of the country, I was awarded the honorary title of Honored Art Worker of Turkmenistan. This event inspired me to create new works. So, in 2010 and 2012, I wrote the cantata "Dovletli Dovran" and the ode "Berkarar Dovletin Bahary" based on the poems of Atamurad Atabayev, in which the poet sang the modern life and independence of the country.
In the following years I wrote two sonatas for piano, as well as a two-movement composition "Goseline" for cello and symphony orchestra. I am currently working on a multi-part symphonic composition "Uzuklar". This work is based on a legend from folklore about three sisters competing in playing the melody of the song “Lale” on different musical instruments.
In addition to the Moscow Conservatory, I completed postgraduate studies in Ashgabat in the musicology class. I wrote my Ph.D. thesis "On the features of Turkmen national music and its influence on composer creativity." The dissertation is ready for defense.
In addition, I am the author of the textbook "Fundamentals of Music Theory" and the book "Theory of Turkmen Music". Over the years of work at the Department of Theoretical Music of the Turkmen National Conservatory under my supervision, 13 students have written Ph.D. dissertations.
Now I work at the Department of Composition and Orchestration. The students of my department are future composers. There are also certified composers.
In the spring, the conservatory plans to celebrate my 65th birthday with a concert, the program of which will consist of my works. I am looking forward to a holiday for myself and my loved ones.
