Ruslan Agababayev - Full Official Biography

Ruslan Agababayev is a multiple award-winning composer and pianist whose work spans film, symphonic and chamber music, jazz, musical theater, and popular music. Rooted in both Western musical traditions and the rich musical heritage of Azerbaijan, his work brings together classical composition, jazz, world music, and Azerbaijani Mugham to create a distinctive musical voice.

Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 1976, Agababayev demonstrated exceptional musical talent from an early age. After graduating from the Baku Music Academy, he continued his education in the United States, earning a Master’s degree in Composition from New School University in New York City.

Agababayev is a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and a recipient of an ASCAP Foundation Award. In 2025, he was awarded the Medal of the Republic of Azerbaijan for Service in Diaspora Activities, recognizing his contributions to Azerbaijan’s diaspora activities and cultural presence abroad.

His music has been performed internationally, including at such renowned New York venues as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. He has also served as composer-in-residence with the New York-based Bachanalia Orchestra.

As a film composer, Agababayev composed the complete original score for the feature film 44, a major cinematic production produced by Baku Media Center (BMC) and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, and directed by Max Smetana and Ismail Safarli. The original score was mixed and mastered at the renowned AIR Studios in London. The project represents a major work in Agababayev’s career as a composer for cinema.

Among his major concert works is the monumental cantata Heydar Babaya Salam, composed for the closing ceremony of the Fourth International Mugham Festival. The work was performed by the Azerbaijan State Symphony Orchestra and State Choir Capella at the Heydar Aliyev Palace in Baku on March 18, 2015.

In 2018, Agababayev composed the musical The Little Prince, based on Antoine de SaintExupéry’s celebrated novel of the same name. The production was staged at the Azerbaijan State Musical Theatre. Agababayev is also the composer of Azerbaijan 101 All Stars, a major musical project that brought together many of Azerbaijan’s leading artists. Produced by Emin Agalarov, with lyrics by Leyla Aliyeva, the song gained widespread recognition in Azerbaijan.

Alongside his work as a composer, Agababayev is an accomplished jazz pianist who has performed internationally with his ensemble. His performances and compositions combine the traditions of American jazz with Azerbaijani musical heritage, particularly the expressive and improvisational language of Mugham.

At the heart of Agababayev’s artistic identity is a dialogue between musical cultures. By bringing together the rich colors of world music with Azerbaijani Mugham, jazz, and contemporary composition, he has developed a distinctive musical language that moves naturally between the concert hall, jazz stage, theater, and cinema.