MUSTAFO BAFOEV (born in Bukhara in 1946) - the Honoured Art Worker of Uzbekistan (1996), Laureate of State prize named after A.Kadiri (1997); graduated from the Tashkent State Conservatory named after M.Ashrafi, having specialized in Uzbek folk instruments (1969) and composition (1977). M.Bafoev is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Composition at the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan.
M.Bafoev went down to Uzbek musical culture in the late 1970s as active worker. In a short time period he was able to try out his skills a various genres. There can be mentioned 3 operas, 3 ballets, 7 musical dramas and comedies, 5 symphonies, about 20 oratorios and compositions for chor’s, many chamber-instrumental pieces and more than 200 romances and songs among his works. Despite the fact that the creative work of M.Bafoev seems to be many-sided, musical-stage genres possess a priority among the others. The achievements of the composer in this field have greatly contributed to the development of the Uzbek music theatre. Particularly, his opera “Omar Khayyom”, in which the stage regularities were skillfully defined and the national soul in music language was naturally perfected, was highly appreciated by audience. M.Bafoev pro moted the entry of foreign themes into musical drama ("Raja" - based on the work of R.Tagor).Finally, the composer introduced such aspects as Uzbek teleopera ("Bukhoroi Sharif") and teleballet ("The Sign of Ulugbek", "Nodira", "Light from the Past") in order to renew the drama of stage genres.
The priority of stage properties in the work of M.Bafoev influences the presentation of other genres. One can notice the strong decorative character in his instrumental music, the compulsory entry of pithy head-lines (the symphonic poem "The Frescos of Sogdiana"), and the frequent use of vocal parts (all his symphonies include a programme, there's a part of chorus and solo in the 1st and 5th symphonies). The composer pays a particular attention to the chamber vocal and chorus compositions. He carefully studied the potentialities of vocal voice, and managed to use it with the national melody. The chorus poem "Makom Sadosi" ("The Melody of Makom") and "Al-Horazmi" chorus composition are the models of his experiments in this field. A modern world-outlook is clearly seen in the music of M.Bafoev. The astonishing aspect of this virtue is that the composer mainly refers to historical themes. Therefore, it can be said that the work of M.Bafoev serves to restore the national Properties of Uzbek musical art, and is standing the peak of modern direction.