P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Saidov, Karimboi

Tajik carver and master of musical instruments Karimboi Saidov

was born into a family of carpenters in Khujand in 1880. Before the

1917 Revolution, he was already a master carpenter who could manu-

facture many types of utensils.

Between 1929 and 1942, Saidov was a music teacher at the Lenina-

bad Music School. From 1942 through 1950, he was the Director of the

Metalist Association of Leninabad. At the same time, he familiarized

singers with instruments such as tar, tambourine, rubob, and ghizhzhak

(xylophone). He also made musical instruments for the Comedy Theater

of Leninabad. In fact, Saidov made most of the instruments used by mu-

sicians in Moscow in the ensembles and orchestras for the 10th Anni-

versary of Tajik Industry in 1941. Saidov was a famous maker of musi-

cal instruments not only in Leninabad but also in Tashkent, Samarqand,

Bukhara, and other cities of Central Asia. One of the ghizhzhaks that he

made is kept in the Hermitage in Leningrad. He also made a tambourine

for Muhiddin Aminzoda that is now kept in the Aminzoda Museum in

Leninabad. Jum'aboi Sharifov (1890-1946) and Abduqodir Abduraufov

(born 1900) are among his students. The latter continued the tradition of

his teacher by teaching his art at the Leninabad Schools of Music.

Saidov died in Leninabad in 1965.