Topic: The Concept of Uzbek Folk Instruments: Problems and Approaches

This study examines the concept of Uzbek folk instruments and the theoretical as well as practical challenges associated with their classification and interpretation. Over several centuries, scholars and practitioners have attempted to define Uzbek folk instruments within traditional and modern contexts, yet numerous unresolved and contradictory issues remain. The research highlights complexities such as the relationship between an instrument’s origin and its practical use, the interaction between professional and folk traditions, and the influence of political and ideological processes—particularly academicization and state cultural policy. The study also addresses the integration of European instruments into Central Asian musical traditions and critiques the rigid opposition between “professional” and “folk” music. Using a historical-analytical and comparative cultural approach, this paper proposes a more flexible interpretative framework: understanding instruments within specific cultural traditions and artistic systems rather than fixed categorical definitions. Such an approach allows for a more objective representation of musical instruments in both historical and contemporary contexts.