ALZ-Music
Alisher Latif-Zade Music
MUSIC EDUCATION & PEDAGOGY
Composition, Performance & Creative Development
Alisher Latif-Zade is a composer, music educator, and Honorary Professor whose teaching approach integrates composition, instrumental performance, ear training, rhythm, orchestration, and creative musicianship.
His educational methods and materials support students at various stages of musical development, from beginners to advanced students, as well as teachers, ensembles, and music schools.
Areas of instruction include:
• Composition and songwriting
• Music theory, harmony, counterpoint, and orchestration
• Ear training, rhythm dictation, and sight-reading
• Violin and piano studies
• Ensemble training and creative music projects
• Preparation for exams, auditions, and creative portfolios
Information about educational publications, method books, exercises, and teaching materials is available through ALZ Music.
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Ten Principles for Developing Young Composers
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
01. Music Education as Creative Collaboration
I view every music lesson as a creative process. Teaching is not simply the transfer of knowledge from teacher to student,
but a collaborative experience in which both participate in artistic discovery.
02. Creativity Beyond Assignments
I believe that a student's artistic development should be measured not merely by the quantity of completed assignments,
but by the quality of creative work, imagination, initiative, and artistic engagement.
03. Individual Artistic Development
Every student has unique musical interests and creative potential. I encourage students to discover their own artistic
direction, whether through classical music, minimalism, aleatoric music, jazz, serial composition, or other contemporary
approaches.
04. Early Involvement in Professional Musical Life
Students should participate in meaningful artistic activities from the beginning of their studies. Concerts, festivals, public
performances, and opportunities to have their compositions performed by professional musicians help connect education
with artistic practice.
05. Interdisciplinary Creativity and Student Performances
Musical imagination can be strengthened through interaction with other art forms, including literature, visual arts,
and theater. Regular concerts of student compositions and creative competitions can further encourage artistic development.
06. Student Conferences and Educational Exchange
I support conferences, workshops, and online exchanges that connect young composers, teachers, and music schools across
different regions, including California, New York, and other parts of the United States.
07. International Cultural Collaboration
Creative exchanges among students in the United States, Russia, Central Asia, and other regions offer valuable
opportunities for cultural understanding, artistic dialogue, and professional growth.
08. Promoting Student Compositions
Student compositions should be actively supported through school concerts, presentations, recordings, and collaborations
with performers, faculty members, and music scholars.
09. Developing Critical Thinking and Music Writing
A student-run music journal or newsletter can encourage young musicians to develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
Writing articles, concert reviews, program notes, and reflections helps students become more thoughtful listeners,
performers, and composers.
10. Connecting Musical Education with Cultural Events
Significant musical anniversaries, historical milestones, and cultural events can inspire concerts, educational forums,
composition projects, and international collaborations involving students, guest artists, and professional musicians.
EDUCATIONAL BOOKS & TEACHING MATERIALS
1000 and One Step to Composition — Volume One
Composition, Music Theory & Creative Skills
A comprehensive training manual for young composers, music educators, and graduate students. This volume contains exercises, musical dictations, practical assignments, and assessments designed to strengthen compositional technique, musical memory, inner hearing, polyphonic thinking, counterpoint, musical form, instrumentation, and theoretical understanding.
The material is suitable for conservatories, music schools, composition studios, and preparatory programs for advanced musical study.
1000 and One Step to Composition — Volume Two
Instrumentation & Orchestration
This volume introduces practical approaches to instrumentation and orchestration for young composers, teachers, and graduate students.
Through structured exercises, students explore instrumental ranges, timbre, tone color, orchestral balance, expressive possibilities, and fundamental principles of orchestral writing.
The book includes 50 assessment tasks and can be used in composition, instrumentation, and orchestration courses.
1000 and One Step to Composition — Volume Three
Ear Training & Solfeggio
Designed for young composers, educators, and graduate students, this volume focuses on the development of aural skills, musical memory, inner hearing, musical awareness, and analytical thinking.
It contains 70 exercises arranged into seven sets of ten, providing a progressive approach to practical solfeggio and ear training.
100 Ethno-Rhythmical Dictations
Central Asian Rhythmic Traditions
A collection of 100 rhythmic dictation exercises inspired by Central Asian musical traditions, with particular attention to Tajik rhythmic patterns and structures.
The exercises develop rhythmic perception, aural memory, inner hearing, analytical skills, and an understanding of asymmetrical meters and culturally diverse rhythmic practices.
The material can be incorporated into ear training, rhythm studies, music theory, and composition courses.
Students may engage with the exercises through listening, rhythmic performance, notation, conducting, and analysis.
The “Express” Effective Training Method of Playing the Violin
A Practical Method for Developing Violin Skills
A structured violin teaching method designed to support efficient progress in music reading, instrumental technique, musical memory, and performance skills.
Developed through experience teaching young students in the United States, the method combines original exercises, practical assignments, and lesson-planning materials.
It is suitable for private instruction, music schools, beginning violin programs, and individualized teaching adapted to each student's needs and abilities.
Daily Exercises and Etudes for the Violin
A Collection of 138 Original Pieces, Exercises & Etudes
Designed for young violin students, this collection supports the development of fundamental violin technique, music reading, coordination, musical memory, and effective practice habits.
The book includes original technical exercises and short etudes suitable for beginners and elementary-level students.
It may be used in private lessons, music schools, and introductory violin programs.
TEACHING AREAS & EXAM PREPARATION
Alisher Latif-Zade provides instruction, coaching, and educational materials in the following areas:
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ABRSM exam preparation in violin, piano, and music theory (all levels)
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Composition in classical, contemporary, jazz, and world music styles
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Music notation and score preparation using Sibelius
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Chamber music ensemble organization and coaching
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String ensemble coaching and conducting
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Percussion ensemble coaching and conducting
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Middle Eastern and Central Asian ensemble coaching
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Jazz ensemble coaching and arranging
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Chamber orchestra coaching and conducting
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Sight-reading instruction
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Instrumentation and orchestration for symphony orchestra
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Instrumentation and arranging for big band
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Songwriting and song composition
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Arranging and orchestration for chamber and mixed ensembles
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Music history of Central Asia
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Contemporary music of Central Asia
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History of Russian music, 19th–21st centuries
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Contemporary music worldwide, 20th–21st centuries
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Harmony and harmonic analysis
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Music technology and software, including Logic Pro
STUDENT PERFORMANCES
Winter Honor Recital. .Students of A.Latif-Zade
F. Burgmüller. "L'Orage (The Storm)"
Over the years, students of Alisher Latif-Zade have participated in numerous concerts, recitals, and educational performances in Manhattan (New York City),
San Jose (California), and other cities across the United States.
Selected recordings of student performances, ensemble projects, and concert programs are available on YouTube.
Watch Student Performances on YouTube
Tian Song Musical Arts 2026 Students & Faculty Recital