Azima Melita Kolin was born in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.
She began her studies at the Musical Academy in Sofia, graduated at the Academia ‘Santa Cecilia’ in Rome, and received a prize for virtuosity with distinction at Geneva Conservatory. After winning prizes at the international competitions in Leipzig, Barcelona and Taormina, she has given many recitals in Europe. She directed and ran a Chamber Music Festival for ten years in Dunvegan, Isle of Skye.
In 1997, inspired by the 13th century Persian mystical poet
Jelaludin Rumi, Azima began a series of concert/readings combining Rumi's poems with classical music by Bach, Beethoven, Scriabin and Brahms. In a joint effort with readers of various nationalities, she has given over a hundred concerts in England, Scotland, Germany and Spain. In November 2001, in collaboration with Persian artists, she performed in Queen Elizabeth Hall in London.
The group Lovers of Rumi was created with the aim to create a new form in which poetry and music are woven into a tapestry uniting different cultures through the beauty and wisdom of Rumi's words. His message of love and union is vitally important in our times.
In collaboration with
Maryam Mafi, in the last five years Azima has published three books of Rumi’s poetry:
Whispers of the Beloved,
Hidden Music and
Gardens of the Beloved (published by Harper Collins/Thorsons).
Rumi & Sufism Links
