President Ilham Aliyev has signed an obituary on the death of People's Artist Arif Babayev.

Axar.az presents the text of the obituary:

"A great loss has befallen Azerbaijani culture. A prominent representative of the national mugham art, People's Artist, Heydar Aliyev Award laureate, and personal scholarship holder of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Professor of the Azerbaijan National Conservatory, Arif Imran oglu Babayev, passed away on August 1, 2025, at the age of 88.

Arif Babayev was born on February 20, 1938, in the village of Sarihajili, Aghdam region. After graduating from secondary school, he received higher education at the Azerbaijan State Institute of Arts from 1962 to 1968.

Arif Babayev, who began his career as a student - as a soloist at the Azerbaijan State Opera and Ballet Theater in 1966, worked as a teacher at the Bulbul Secondary Specialized Music School since 1981, and taught mugham at the current Baku Music Academy in 1984-2000, From 2002 until the end of his life, he worked as a professor and head of the department at the Azerbaijan National Conservatory.

Arif Babayev, one of the brightest figures of the Karabakh khanende school, made valuable contributions to the treasury of musical culture of Azerbaijan. Continuing the artistic traditions of his predecessors with creativity, he formed a unique style of performance and, throughout his career, rendered commendable services in preserving the classical style of mugham performance. The artist, who has a charming and rich timbre of voice, has won the love of listeners by breathing new life into the vocal form of national mugham art.

“Qarabagh shikastesi”, “Segah”, “Chahargah”, “Rast”, “Shur”, “Bayat-Shiraz” and other mugham, performed with great skill by Arif Babayev, have entered the golden fund of national mugham art and further enriched the treasury of musical treasures of Azerbaijan. The tasnifs and folk songs, which the khanende sang with special taste and skill, are among the pearls of Azerbaijani musical culture and take a worthy place. Arif Babayev has left a deep mark in our musical annals with the memorable images he has played as a performer of the main parts in mugham operas for many years. His image of Majnun, created in the work of the great composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli, "Leyli and Majnun," is one of the most unforgettable performances in our opera history.

Arif Babayev has successfully represented our national culture during his tours to various countries of the world at the Days of Azerbaijani Culture and international music festivals, and has managed to endear our music to representatives of various nations with his performances. The master singer, who has been engaged in pedagogical activity for a long time, has become an example with his life and artistic path, and has created a great school to which several generations of performers belong. His close participation in the projects and programs implemented in connection with mugham was in harmony with Arif Babayev's fruitful work towards preserving the traditions of mugham performance in the country.

Arif Babayev was awarded the highest award of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 1998 for his significant achievements in the field of development of national musical culture He was awarded the "Shohrat" order, the "Istiglal" order in 2008 and the "Sharaf" order in 2018, the "Honorary Diploma of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan" in 2023 and the Heydar Aliyev Award in 2025.

The memory of the outstanding singer, skilled teacher, and sincere person Arif Imran oglu Babayev will always live in the hearts of art lovers.

May God have mercy on him!

Ilham Aliyev

Mehriban Aliyeva

Ali Asadov

Sahiba Gafarova

Samir Nuriyev

Eldar Azizov

Farah Aliyeva

Adil Karimli

Emin Amrullayev

Polad Bulbuloglu

Zeynab Khanlarova

Alim Gasimov

Sekina Ismayilova

Mansum Ibrahimov