Orifxon Hotamov

Orifxon Hotamov was born on 10 October 1927 in Jizzax. He is known as a leading performer of the national classical tradition of maqom, ashula and katta ashula: a singer, instrumentalist (sozanda) and composer.

In 1954 he graduated from the Tashkent music school in gijjak. He learned the art of hafiz singing and tanbur playing from his teacher Jo'rahon Sultonov. He worked as an instrumentalist at the Muqimiy Theatre (from 1944), the Uzbek State Philharmonic (1945–1950), the folk instruments orchestra of Uzbek Radio (1956–1959), an ethnographic ensemble (1959–1976) and the Maqom ensemble (1976–1989).

In 1989–1999 he taught at the M. Uyg'ur Institute of Arts, and from 1999 at the Tashkent Conservatory.

His repertoire includes the katta ashula «Ohkim», «Daydi tanavor» and «Bo'lmish», the classical ashulas «Feruz», «Abdurahmonbegi», «Hanuz», «Qo'shchinor» and «Suvora», and the maqom melodies «Dugoh husayn» and «Bayot». Among the songs he composed are «Naylayin», «Qoshi yosinmu deyin» and «Qora bo'lib-dur» to verses by Navoi, «Sensan sevarim» to a poem by Lutfiy, «Yor o'tdimu» to a poem by S. Zunnunova and «Holimni so'rmaysan» to a poem by Sadoiy. His performances and compositions were recorded for the archive of Uzteleradio and issued on gramophone records and compact discs.

For many years he performed together with Hakimjon Fayziyev and his sons. He was awarded the Order of Do'stlik (1997). He died in Tashkent on 25 September 2002. On 28 May 2026, posthumously, he was awarded the Order For Selfless Service (Fidokorona xizmatlari uchun).