Falak, meaning the universe, is a type of singing specific to the mountainous regions of Tajikistan. When singing Falak, the singer raises his voice to the skies, demanding justice and love. Originally men and women working in the mountains on their land or herding their cattle would sing Falak to express their deepest feelings of sadness and happiness.

Later, in its more elaborated form, Falak found five major variations, each suited to specific natural surroundings, but all for expressing sorrow and joy. The philosophy of Falak is symbolic of eastern impressions of life, moving between sadness and happiness spontaneously, creating a rich dramatic atmosphere.

Dowlatmand Khalov, who is a renowned master of Falak, uses his powerful voice to enhance all the possibilities and variations of this rich style of singing. Furthermore, with his very unique mastery of improvisation, he has made numerous new variations to Falak.

Dowlatmand attended the Music Academy of Tajikistan from 1967- 78 where he researched on Falak as well as music for orchestra and opera. Later he worked and researched in the National Opera and Ballet of Tajikistan as an opera singer. Soon after, he managed to compose his very own style of music incorporating themes of Falak into traditional and pop music.

At the age of twenty, his artistic talent was publicly acknowledged by a renowned musicologist, Mehraban Nazarov, and later appraised by Khal Mohammad Majidov, Chorus Producer and Halim Karimov expert on singing. They asserted that through his unique style, Dowlatmand Khalov had indeed introduced an additional quarter variation to the traditional Falak singing. He gained this recognition through a major national competition held both in his native Kulyab as well as the Tajik capital, Dushanbe in May of 1970. He became famous overnight and his concerts became major artistic events attended by all music experts.

In 1971 he gained first place again, winning the national prize as a musical laurite.

In 1973 he attended the National Institute of Music where he stayed until 1978 teaching and researching all types of music with special focus on Falak variations.

In 1981 he established the Falak Folklore Ensemble of Tajikistan, comprising of 48 musicians, singers, dancers and artists. The ensemble, which was highly successful for the first ten years was closed during the civil war in early nineties but was re-established in 1998.

In March 2001 Dowlatmand Khalov was nominated by the President of Tajikistan to head a national team for the revival of Falak music as one of the main artistic heritages of Tajikistan.

Dowlatmand Khalov has over 300 albums all of his own unique style of singing and on the poetry of classical as well as contemporary poets of Iran and Tajikistan. Most famous amongst these Door Masho, Beraghsa, based on Maulawi's poetry, Doosty [Sadi], Zindagi[Bidel], Man o Darya, Setareh [Layegh Shirali], Shahnameh [Golrokhsar], Zulf Ashofte, Amadaei[Hafez], Shad Ast [Saeb Tabrizi]and numerous variations of Falak songs. A major collection of his work is kept in the archives of Tajikistan's Radio and TV both in sound and picture.

He plays over fifty instruments including almost all string, wind, percussion, plectrum, and clavichord instruments. He also plays non-Pardeh [note] instruments. He is a master of improvisation, introducing a totally new version of his own creations every time he performs. He has a wide range of artistic performance. In any performance, he may play with as many as six or seven instruments and sing accompanied by as little as one or as many as a fifty musicians and chorus singers. His voice incorporates a rich range of tones, quarter and half tones moving from the lowest to the highest pitch in seconds.

His artistic career was further enhanced in 1998 when the United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan asked Dowlatmand Khalov to sing for peace. Since Falak is the only style of singing shared by all regions of Tajikistan, Ustad Dowlatmand became the messenger of peace, touring the country, inviting people to put the years of war behind by joining in the singing and dancing. This festival-like event lasted for about two years and was held not only in major music halls but also in central squares of towns and villages.

Ustad Dowlatmand has held performances in all major Eastern, Far Eastern and European capitals and has numerous students and artistic following. He has taught Falak not only in his native Tajikistan but also in Glasgow University and the Music Department of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.