Tofig Guliyev was born on 7 November 1917 in Baku, into the family of engineer-economist Alakbar Guliyev. His mother, Yakhshi khanim Mahmudova, had studied at Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev's girls' gymnasium and became one of the first Azerbaijani female judges. At the age of 12 Tofig Guliyev entered the vocational school attached to the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire, and in 1934 he enrolled at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire itself. He studied piano in the class of I. S. Aysberg and conducting in the class of S. G. Strasser, graduating from the Conservatoire in 1936. In 1931, on the advice of Asaf Zeynalli, he composed the song 'The Schoolboy' to words by Mirza Alakbar Sabir. In 1935 he began conducting at the Mashadi Azizbayov Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre. In 1936, together with the composer Zakir Bagirov, he arranged the mugham pieces 'Rast', 'Segah', 'Zabul' and 'Dugah' for piano. On the initiative of Uzeyir Hajibeyov he was sent to the Moscow State Conservatoire to continue his studies. He soon began working there as a pianist in the orchestra led by A. Tsfasman. In 1939 he returned to Baku, and in 1941 he formed the 'Red Army' ensemble. He wrote a number of patriotic songs for the ensemble, which performed within the 402nd Division. In 1943, when the ensemble split into two, he became head of its 'Red Fleet' section. After the war he collaborated with the M. Azizbayov (Drama), Samad Vurgun (Russian Drama) and M. Gorky (Young Spectators) theatres. From the 1940s he also began working in cinema. In 1948 he continued his studies at the Moscow State Conservatoire. In 1951 he entered postgraduate study and defended his scholarly work under the supervision of A. Gauk. That same year he was one of those who compiled the collection 'Azerbaijani Folk Dances'. In 1954 he began teaching at the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire. Between 1956 and 1958 several of his songs were included in the 'Azerbaijani Songs' music collection. In 1958 he became artistic director, then director, of the Philharmonic. Between 1960 and 1970 he took part in numerous international conferences, festivals and days of the arts. At the end of the 1970s he founded a number of children's and youth music competitions, including 'Baku Autumn'. From 1969 to 1979 he headed the Azerbaijan Composers' Union. From 1990 until the end of his life he served as chairman of the board of the Azerbaijan Composers' Union. Tofig Guliyev passed away in 2000 in Baku.
