Album Notes

By Duane L. Herrmann NARGIS MONDJAZIB began her musical training seriously at age ten at the Specialized Music School of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, then part of the soviet union. Her joy in singing though, has been part of her life from the earliest years when she first began to read. She delighted in finding a book of poems and "singing" the poems. The subject did not matter, the joy of singing was enough. Her joy is shown in this selection of songs. They are from various languages because the words of each language have their own music which adds to the joy of singing them. Her training continued through Samarkand State University (degrees in literature, and voce) to an internship with the Taskent State conservatory. She is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Music at Samarkand State School of Art. She has won awards for teaching and the song "My Homeland." Nargis has sung solo concerts in the major cities of Uzbekistan, as well as in Russia, Kirgizistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan India and the U.S. She has also sung with touring choirs: "The Light of Unity" and "The Voices of Bahá." More tours are planned. In addition to singing she also composes and some of her compositions are included in this collection. Nargis comes from a family that has been devoted to the Bahá'í Faith for three generations. Her grandfather learned of the Faith from an elderly Bábí whom he had befriended. In his eagerness to spread knowledge of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, he traveled to Samarkand from his native Persia and become one of the very first believers there. He and his family remained steadfast during the Soviet years, even enduring a decade in prison. It is a great joy for Nargis to be able to share her love of Bahá'u'lláh openly in these songs. Education: * The Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, 2003 * Tashkent State conservatory, Internship, Certificate, 1997 * Department of Music, Samarkand State School of Art, Samarkand, Uzbekistan [Voice], Diploma, 1984-1988. * Department of Uzbek (Turkish) history and literature, Samarkand State University, Uzbekistan, diploma, 1984-1989. * Specialized Music High School [piano] Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1975-1982, Employment, Experience and Teaching: * Senior Lecturer, Department of Music, Samarkand State School of Art, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1995-present (on-leave); * Lecturer, Department of Music, Samarkand State School of Art, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 1988-1995. Academic honors and awards: * Dean's award for distinguished teaching, 1997; * Grand-Prix "My homeland", 1999. Concerts: * Solist in choir "Light of Unity" ,India, Russia, Kirgizistan, Tadjikistan and Kazakhstan 1997; * Choir "Voice of Baha", Carnege Hall and Manhattan Center, NewYork, USA, 2002; * Solo concerts through the country: Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent and abroad in India. Foreign languages: Russian, Uzbek, Tadjik, Persian English and Esperanto. Future Projects: a. Eighth Annual Fall Concert, Choir, Millennium Center in Southfield, Michigan, November 16, 2002 b. 11th International Tour of the choir "Voices of Baha", June 27 to July 14, 2003, the tour will include concerts in Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech republic), Warsaw, (Poland), Berlin (Germany), before officially participating in 3rd International Johannes Brahams Choral Festival and Competition in Wernigerode, Germany,