Fikret Amirov, Nocturne from 12 miniatures for piano Arjen Seinen Piano

Like many other Azerbaijani composers who have left enormous legacies to Azerbaijan's music heritage, Fikrat Amirov grew up in an atmosphere of folk music. He was born on November 22, 1922, in the city of Ganja in the north central region of Azerbaijan. Fikrat's father, Mashadi Jamil Amirov, was a famous "khanande" (mugam singer), who composed and played tar (the traditional double-globed stringed instrument which is plucked). Amirov was among the very few Azerbaijanis who was awarded the "State Prize Laureate of Azerbaijan" (1949), the "People's Artist of the USSR" (1965) and the "State Prize Laureate of the USSR" (1981). And he was one of the privileged few who visited the United States as a member of the Soviet delegation of composers under the auspices of the State Department. He is remembered as one of the most outstanding of Azerbaijan's 20th century composers.