Khanmammadov composed his first song "Gozal pari" ("Beautiful Nymph") in 1942. In 1946 he was sent to Tabriz, then ruled by the Soviet-backed Azerbaijan People's Government to found a philharmonic orchestra but after the Soviets' withdrawal returned to Baku. In 1947, Khanmammadov was admitted to the Azerbaijan State Conservatory to study folk music and musical composition taught by Hajibeyov and Gara Garayev respectively. He graduated in 1952. It was Garayev who challenged him to write a concerto for tar and symphonic orchestra for his graduation piece.