In the Palace of Mukams of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan the art competition among masters of making the national musical instrument dutar and its performers soloists-storytellers and accompanists (bakhshi and sazanda ) took place.
More than 30 musicians from all regions of Turkmenistan and famous masters who preserve centuries-old secrets of making the dutar participated in the unusual contest.
The best bakhshi representing Ashkhabad at the competition became the student of Turkmen national conservatory named after Maya Kulieva Maksatmurat Hojaberdiyev and the student of the Turkmen specialized music school named after Danatar Ovezov Berdimuhammet Atabaev.
The techniques of making of the ancient Turkmen musical instrument developed to perfection were displayed by masters from Akhal, Balkan, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary provinces.
The craft of dutar making, playing it and the school of the bakhshi are candidates for inclusion in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity UNESCO.