Rufat Khalilov was born on 12 July 1998 in Baku, Azerbaijan. He received his secondary and professional music education at the Bulbul Secondary Specialized Music School (2004–2015). In 2019, he graduated with distinction from the Uzeyir Hajibeyli Baku Music Academy with a Bachelor’s degree in Choral Conducting (History and Theory Faculty). He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting at the same institution under the supervision of People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, Professor Gulbachi Imanova.
From July 2019 to July 2020, Khalilov completed his compulsory military service in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan. He is a laureate of several national and international competitions, including first prizes at the “Caspi Art” International Music and Dance Competitions (Turkey, 2018; Kazakhstan, 2019). As Artistic Director and Conductor of the “Western Caspian” Student Choir and the Karabakh University Choir, he has led ensembles to multiple first-place awards at national and international festivals (2024–2025).
He has collaborated with prominent conductors of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan and participated in major international music festivals. Since 2024, he has been serving as Choirmaster and Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts of Karabakh University.

Bachelor’s Degree:
Baku Music Academy
Major: Conducting
2015–2019

Master’s Degree:
Baku Music Academy
Major: Conducting
2023–2025

Choral Conducting; Choral Rehearsal Techniques; Azerbaijani Choral Repertoire; Vocal Ensemble Performance; Score Analysis