ORAL TRANSMISSION AND THE ROLE OF THE USTAD-SHOGIRD TRADITION IN SHAPING UZBEK VOCAL ART

Abstract

The art of Uzbek national vocal music, particularly its classical and folk- classical expressions such as Shashmaqom, Katta Ashula, and regional maqom traditions, has for centuries been preserved and transmitted through an exclusively oral pedagogical system known as the ustad-shogird (master-disciple) tradition. Unlike notation-dependent musical cultures, Uzbek vocal art places paramount importance on direct, unmediated human interaction, where the nuances of microtonal ornamentation (bezhek, ta’rif), rhythmic cycles (usul), and poetic expression are transferred from master to student through imitation, repetition, and spiritual mentorship. This article examines the historical and epistemological foundations of the ustad-shogird system, its specific pedagogical techniques, the nature of the knowledge transmitted, and the challenges this tradition faces in the era of conservatory education and digital reproduction. By analyzing the role of memory, embodiment, and ethical formation in the master-student relationship, this article argues that oral transmission is not merely a pragmatic method of teaching songs but constitutes the very core of Uzbek vocal aesthetics, shaping how singers produce timbre, phrase poetry, and inhabit the maqom’s modal space. Furthermore, the article explores contemporary efforts to integrate oral tradition with modern pedagogical institutions, concluding that the survival of authentic Uzbek vocal art depends on preserving the interpersonal, mimetic, and long-term commitment characteristic of the classical ustad-shogird model.