Arif Mirzoyev was born in Baku on 10th April, 1944, into a family of professional musicians.  He studied at the special music school for gifted children at the conservatoire and in a four year music college.  In 1974 he obtained his Diploma as composer, musicologist, and pianist after studying at the Azerbaijan Academy of  Music.
    He developed greatly in the composition classes of the prominent Azeri composer Kara Karaev, who was generally recognised as one of  Shostakovich's most brilliant pupils.

    In the early years of the century Mirzoyev's father moved to Baku from a southern province of Azerbaijan, and bought a flat from a large Germany family.  A piano, a clavichord, a harmonium, and, most important of all, a book of preludes and fugues from The Well Tempered Clavier.

    Having become acquainted with Bach, the six year old Arif, who dreamt of becoming a conductor, resolved to become a polyphonic composer, and in years to come would go to Germany to visit Bach's grave ... which only came to pass on the eve of his 50th birthday.

    In 1994, in Eisenach, Bach's hometown, Mirzoyev was decorated with the J.S. Bach Silver Memorial Medal, with the 11th of the 1685 which were struck to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Bach's birth.  This award was for his Organ Symphony dedicated to J.S. Bach.

    Last year, having been deeply moved by the tragedy at Dunblane reported on Russian TV, and on finding himself going with Alexander Fiseisky to Edinbugrh, Mirzoyev readily responded to a request to write a special piece as a gift to the town, families, and children in memory of the infants and teacher murdered in their school.  His Lullaby was first played at Alexander's special children's recital in Dunblane, and then as the final introit of the clergy for the Memorial Service attended by HRH Prince of Wales.