P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Halimsho Salimsho
See Alimshoev, Salimsho.
Hamdamov, Amon
Tajik composer Amon Sultonovich Hamdamov was born in Samar-
qand on May 5, 1918. From 1941 to 1945, he contributed to the war
effort. He joined the CPSU in 1947.
From 1935 to 1937, Hamdamov was an instrumentalist playing na-
tive instruments at the Lahuti Theater for the Dramatic Arts and then,
from 1938 to 1941, he was Concert Master of the orchestra of native in-
struments. Although he graduated from Moscow State Conservatory in
1958, he was the Director, Chief Director, and Artistic Leader of the
native Tajik instruments at the State Committee for Radio and Televi-
sion from 1946 to 1979. In addition, during 1962 and 1976, he was
Acting Chair of the Union of Composers of Tajikistan.
In 1980, Hamdamov became a teacher and Assistant Professor at the
Department of Instrumental Composition of the Institute of Arts of
Tajikistan. His early contributions include the following songs:
"Shoioni Hayot" ("Worthy of Life"), "Tojikiston" ("Tajikistan"), and
"Ruzi dar Kolkhoz" ("A Day in the Collective Farm"). In the 1960s, he

---

Prominent Tajik Figures of the Twentieth Century

97
created a number of pieces for the symphony orchestra. "Khush on

Zamon" ("Remembering Those Days") is one of them. He also has sev-
eral long vocal pieces, including Subhi Vatan (The Morning of the
Fatherland), and Sharaf ba Mihnat (Nobility in Labor). He also was ac-
tive in the reconstruction of native musical instruments, and created a
number of colorful spectacles.
Hamdamov became a member of the Union of Composers of the
Soviet Union in 1958. He became a Distinguished Artist of Tajikistan in
1968, and a People's Artist of Tajikistan in 1978. He was the recipient
of two Orders of the Badge of Honor, and the Honorary Order of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of Tajikistan.
Hamidov, Majid
Tajik singer Majid Hamidov was born in Namangan in present-day
Uzbekistan, on February 16, 1907. He learned the art of singing and
composing from his uncle, Turdiali Rasulov, a famous singer in
Namangan. Hiss father was also involved in the profession. In 1932,
Hamidov came to the Vakhsh Valley.
In 1935, Hamidov began working at the Stalinabad Theater. In 1941,
he participated in the first Decade of Tajik Art in Moscow, and from
1941 to 1961, he served as a singer at the Tajik Philharmonic Society.
He was a singer between 1961 to 1969 at the State Committee for Radio
and Television.
Hamidov is particularly skilled at performing classical Tajik music,
especially the Shashmaqom. He is also a poet and writes many of the
songs he performs.
Hamidov became a People's Singer of Tajikistan in 1947.