At the beginning of the 21st century, a gifted man of strong convictions and humble character lived and worked in Dushanbe, dedicating his life to serving people and music. He nurtured numerous talented violinists and devoted sixty years of his life to directing two music schools—one an 11-year boarding institution in the capital, and the other in Chkalovsk. Shodmon Alifov, who likewise committed his life to teaching, also conducted a chamber orchestra.
His devoted wife blessed him with many children, including a daughter who, from a very young age, demonstrated extraordinary passion for music. Relatives remember him fondly: “Until his very last day, his violin was dearest to him—he never missed a single morning without practicing.” Growing up in this environment, his daughter Firuza received her first musical guidance from her father himself. Under his strict yet caring supervision, the gifted girl quickly mastered both music fundamentals and piano playing. Already at age eleven, she performed Mozart’s concerto with an orchestra and won an award at the S. Prokofiev Memorial Competition.
Sadly, after successfully graduating from music school, she couldn’t continue her piano studies—Tajikistan was passing through difficult times. Yet her love for music, whether European classical, traditional Tajik, or even quality popular music, remained alive in her heart. Firuza enrolled in the class of the renowned traditional music artist Jurabek Murodov and graduated in 2006 from the Khujand Academy of Arts with the distinction of “Concert Performer and Folk & Vocal Artist.”
She released eight albums, recorded over 100 songs, garnered awards and jury accolades at numerous competitions—including second prize at the 4th International Pop Vocal Competition in Astana (2006)—and achieved immense popularity in her homeland. Suddenly, however, she altered the trajectory of her rising career, choosing instead to dedicate herself entirely to her family. She became a loving wife and mother of four wonderful children, passionately building a warm and harmonious family life.
Yet after this long, humble pause in her professional life, her vocation once again summoned her onto an unfamiliar path.
This time, teaching piano to children at Music School No. 3 in Dushanbe and pursuing postgraduate studies at the Tajik Conservatory enabled her talent to flourish even further. Before long, her students began representing their school in local competitions, then progressed to national contests and international events—such as the Savshinsky Competition (St. Petersburg), the Rachmaninoff Competition in Kazan (where Firuza herself received the “Best Teacher” diploma), Caspian Art competitions, “Moderato” in Turkey, “Accord” and “Cantabile” in Switzerland—winning first and second prizes, Grand Prix awards at “World of Talents,” and many others. As for Firuza herself, she was honored with the title “Distinguished Cultural Worker of the Republic of Tatarstan” along with several other prestigious awards in her homeland.
As Emil Gilels once said: “A teacher is absorbed in his students—he can spend hours with them, working together to refine both the technical and emotional aspects of playing. If he is a true educator, he finds joy in this work” (Barenboim L. A., Emil Gilels, Moscow: 1990, p. 36). A similar philosophy is clearly evident in Firuza’s teaching approach.
In her classes, she somehow revives the old-school tradition where students feel they share a roof with their teacher and coexist in a shared musical life. Her pupils regard her almost like family. Firuza truly prepares them for life through music. This openness and sincerity, combined with deep empathy, she carries into all her human relationships.
For the past six months, I have taken great joy in her participation in my class. Though she was compelled to pause piano studies at just 23 years old, in these past six months she has made remarkable progress and now performs highly demanding repertoire. Over decades of teaching pianists from diverse cultures, nations, and faiths across various universities and countries, I have rarely encountered such a rare, harmonious synthesis of talent, diligence, and utterly unbiased, compassionate humanity as I see in Firuza.
Today, within Tajikistan’s musical landscape, Firuza Kasimova stands out—as we see her—as an extraordinary and brilliant personality.
We wholeheartedly wish her ever greater successes on the endless, magnificent path of musical discovery.