Lyudmila A. Abbasova
Professor of Piano and Music Theory
Office: FAC 229
Email: mabbasova@wtamu.edu
Phone: 806-651-2844
Professional Profile
Mila Abbasova is a full-time professor of Piano and Music Theory at West Texas A&M School of Music in Canyon, TX. She came to the USA from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, and has been a part of the international music world for over 50 years. Mila began studying music at the age of 8 and holds a Diploma from the Azerbaijanian Government School of Music, with a Post-Master's Degree in Piano Performance and Music Theory from Baku, Azerbaijan.
Teaching and Related Service
Mila studied under the renowned Azerbaijani musicologist N. Nazirova. Since 1980, she has worked in Music Schools as an instructor of Piano, Solfeggio, Music Theory, and Music Literature. Her experience includes being a Concert Master of Chamber Trio, Chair of Chamber Trio, and Music Director. From 1990 to 1996, she served as the Principal of the School of Music, Art & Dance in Belarus. Among the awards she has won are the Certificate of "Excellence in Teaching" in 1991 and "Teacher of the Year" in 1992. In 1993, she received a prestigious award in an International Music Competition for the Belarus Ministry of Music Culture (Minsk, Belarus). In 1996, due to political turmoil and conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, she and her family immigrated to the United States as political refugees. She has been working at WTAMU since 1998, contributing as a prolific accompanist, performing in over a thousand faculty recitals, solo recitals, student recitals, musicals, and operas. She has also worked as a music director, orchestra conductor, vocal coach, and staff accompanist for Amarillo College Theatre School, Amarillo Opera, Amarillo Little Theatre, Amarillo College Music Department, Summer Youth Musical, and Amarillo College Experimental Theatre. In 2000, Mila received the Oma Link Rowley Award from Amarillo College Theatre School. In 2004, she was presented with the Amarillo College Theatre School staff award. In 2014, Mila Abbasova received the Award for Outstanding Contributions in Instructional Responsibilities from Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities at WTAMU. She founded the Russian Music Festival in 2017-2021 and, in 2023, received an award for Outstanding Contributions in Professional Service from WTAMU's Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
Personal Sketch
Since 1996, Mila has been residing in Amarillo, TX, with her husband Emin, an artist. They have two sons: Mikail, a professor of Research at Cornell University; and Magerram, an artist and designer. Mila and Emin are proud grandparents to five grandchildren. In her leisure time, Mila enjoys cooking her favorite dishes, such as borscht and baklava.