Aida Abdullayeva

Aida Hamdulla gizi Abdullayeva (23 April 1922, Baku – 11 April 2009, Baku) was an Azerbaijani Soviet harpist, teacher, professor at the Baku Music Academy, founder of the Azerbaijan School of Harp Performance, Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR.

Life and education Aida Abdullayeva was born on 23 April 1922 in Baku. In 1940, she graduated from ten-year high school and with the assistance of prominent composer Uzeyir Hajibeyov entered the Moscow Conservatory. With the beginning of the World War II, in 1941 Aida Abdullayeva returned to Baku and was employed in the orchestra of the Opera and Ballet Theater. In autumn 1942 Abdullayeva and her family was repressed and deported to Kazakhstan. Only in 1943, she with the assistance of Uzeyir Hajibeyov returned to Baku and resumed studying at the Baku State Conservatory, starting to work in the symphony orchestra of the Republic’s Radio Committee. She studied under the supervision of Ksenia Erdeli. In 1949, Abdullayeva graduated from the Moscow Conservatory. The same year the rector of the Conservatory offered her to start teaching harp class.

Aida Abdullayeva died on 11 April 2009 in Baku.