Samandar Pulodov

• function: NGO director / musician / producer
• company: Amesha Spenta

visited Events

• WOMEX 2006

I was born in the Pamiri region of Tajikistan to a Pamirian family where music was highly appreciated and practiced every day. I began singing at around age twelve. My repertoire included what he heard from my father, other family members and on tape.

I also learnt much from the older generation of grand masters of traditional music, including Mamadato Tavalloev, Khujamyor Mamadyorov, Kimatsho Kimatshoev and others. I also learned to read music in St. Petersburg, Russia. My experience of being involved in different cultures enabled to develop fruitful relation between these varied influences.

Since the career of musician was looked down upon, i did a degree in philology to become a teacher. I never taught philology, though he did as an Instructor of Cultural Studies, Ethnomusicology and Humanities at Khorog State University (Tajikistan), and worked with the Aga Khan Humanities Project for Central Asia and MSDSP (AKF).

At thirty, I produced my second CD, which was released internationally. This was an innovative approach to interpretation of traditional practices. Despite its unconventional appearance, critics responded enthusiastically to my performances. I received several local awards.

My aim is to seek points of contact between various cultures and to achieve this by comparing ideas from folk, classical and popular music, developing them in compositions in which these styles exist side by side.

In 2004, based on influences from my earlier experiences, I wrote pieces for my new CD, a mixture of traditional, acoustic and electronic music. Works included on the CD are poems by Rumi, the mystic 13th-century Persian poet, falaki (songs of separation) of Mountain Pamir performers and many others.

For the last three years i participated in mobile academy courses on Music and Art in Germany, organized music touring and produced various music CD's including folk and contemporary music and also participated in festivals and trade fair in Europe, Australia, UAE, China and Turkey.

At the moment I'm heading Tajik, Culture and Tourism-Non Governmental Organization and Amesha Spenta music production.