▁folk ▁mus icians . ▁After ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁F ik ret ▁Am iro v ▁introduced ▁a ▁new ▁genre ▁called ▁sym ph onic ▁m ug am . ▁Am iro v ' s ▁sym ph onic ▁m ug ams ▁were ▁based ▁on ▁classical ▁folk ▁pieces ▁and ▁were ▁performed ▁by ▁many ▁ren owned ▁sym phony ▁orch est ras ▁throughout ▁the ▁world , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Houston ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra ▁conducted ▁by ▁Leopold ▁Sto kow ski . ▁ ▁Post - S ov iet ▁era ▁In ▁the ▁present ▁era , ▁classical ▁music ▁in ▁A zer ba ij an ▁must ▁cont end ▁and ▁co - exist ▁with ▁a ▁dominant ▁culture ▁of ▁popular ▁music . ▁Special ist ▁music ▁education ▁at ▁establish ments ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁As af ▁Ze yn ally ▁Music ▁School ▁in ▁B aku ▁and ▁B aku ▁Academy ▁of ▁Music ▁provide ▁world - class ▁music ▁teaching ▁to ▁gift ed ▁classical ▁mus icians . ▁ ▁Modern ▁day ▁advoc ates ▁of ▁Western ▁classical ▁music ▁in ▁A zer ba ij ani ▁include ▁Far had ▁Bad al bey li , ▁F idan ▁Gas im ova ▁and ▁Fr ang h iz ▁Al iz ade h . ▁ ▁Fest iv als ▁and ▁ven ues ▁ ▁A zer ba ij an ▁is ▁host ▁to ▁many ▁major ▁orch est ras , ▁festiv als ▁and ▁ven ues . ▁The ▁Gab ala ▁International ▁Music ▁Festival ▁and ▁U ze y ir ▁H aj ib ey ov ▁International ▁Music ▁Festival ▁have ▁presented ▁annual ▁music ▁program mes ▁of ▁international ▁status ▁since ▁the ▁early ▁ 2 1 st ▁century . ▁ ▁Notable