Music Festival "Sharq Taronalari" ("Melodies of the East") in Samarkand

History of the festival

The international music festival "Sharq Taronalari" ("Melodies of the East") was first held in Samarkand in 1997. It was organized on the initiative of the first President of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov. Since then, the festival has been organized every two years, inviting performers and musical groups from around the world.

The organizers describe the festival's goals as preserving and developing the best examples of national musical art, presenting them to international audiences, raising young people in the spirit of folk traditions, and establishing creative links between musical performers and groups from different countries.

The festival has taken place in the following years:

• 1997
• 1999
• 2001
• 2003
• 2005
• 2007
• 2009
• 2011
• 2013
• 2015
• 2017
• 2019
• 2022, after the edition planned for 2021 was postponed

Participants and organizers

The festival is hosted with the participation of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Sports, National Television and Radio Company, Union of Composers, and the administration of Samarkand Region. The musical competition has also received regular support from UNESCO, the United Nations agency for education, science, and culture.

The number of participating countries has grown over time: representatives from 31 countries performed at the first festival in 1997, while by 2009 the number had reached about 50 countries.

Location

The festival takes place in Samarkand on Registan Square, the central landmark of the city. The square is framed by the three grand madrasahs of Ulugbek, Sherdor, and Tilla Kari, creating one of the most recognizable open-air stages in Central Asia.

Festival programs often include light and sound shows telling the story of Samarkand from ancient settlements and Afrosiab through the Mongol period and the rise of the city under Amir Timur, known in the West as Tamerlane. During that era, Samarkand became one of the great cities of the Silk Road, with flourishing crafts, culture, and architecture.

Samarkand is one of the essential cities for any trip to Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Its main monuments include Registan Square, Bibi Khanum Mosque, the Shakhi-Zinda necropolis, Ulugbek Observatory, the Mausoleum of Haji Daniyar (Saint Daniel), and Gur Emir Mausoleum, where Tamerlane was buried.

Festival program

Over the years, the program has grown beyond the main music performances. It may include exhibitions and fairs of local crafts, traditional costumes, musical instruments, household items, art exhibitions, performances, and concerts. The festival usually lasts for almost a week and finishes with a gala concert and fireworks.

Because the festival is traditionally scheduled for late summer or early autumn, it often coincides with one of the best travel seasons in Uzbekistan. After the hottest part of summer, the weather becomes more comfortable, markets are full of fruit and vegetables, and many travelers combine a cultural route through Uzbekistan with the festival program.

Current planning note

The archived source article expected the next festival after 2022 to take place in 2024. For actual trip planning, recheck the current official schedule before fixing hotels, train tickets, and the Samarkand part of the route.

Presentations, media and news

Photo and video materials, audio recordings, and presentations about Sharq Taronalari can be useful additions when preparing a cultural program in Samarkand.