ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the question of how Azerbaijani women in diaspora in the United States use music to take agency over their identities. Music in United States diaspora communities is often expressed in Folk festivals which confirm and display ethnic group solidarity; in contrast, a small but vibrant musical diaspora from the Azerbaijan Republic consists mostly of musicians classically trained in the Soviet era. Working in the United States as performers, teachers, and composers, Azerbaijani women have embedded into communities where they influence local musical cultures from within. This chapter, based on interviews with women musicians working in the United States, looks at the way musical bridges created by musicians serve specific purposes for both the musicians and their audiences.
