tate Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Kazakhstan named after T. Abdrashev

The T.Abdrashev State Academic Symphony Orchestra has passed a long and difficult creative path. The Kazakh State Academic Symphony Orchestra, organized in 1938 under the Kazakh Television Radio, joined the Philharmonic Society in 1958 and began to introduce thousands of people to the live sound of symphonic music in its highest samples. Its organizer, director and first conductor was People’s Artist of the Kazakh SSR, People’s Artist of Russia, People’s Artist of the Tatar ASSR Fuat Mansurov, whose name is inscribed in golden letters in the history of this collective. Over a long period of creative growth, the team was led by many famous musicians — Viktor Yakovlev, Ilya Ostrovsky, Shamgon Kazgaliev, Gaziz Dugashev, Timur Mynbayev, Renat Salavatov, Tolepbergen Abdrashev. Behind the conductor’s desk were such prominent maestros as L. Ginzburg, A. Katz, K. Eliasberg, M. Pletnev, J.Domarkas and a number of other famous conductors, to each of whom the orchestra owes a new step in its formation. The role of the State Academic Symphony Orchestra in promoting new works by composers of Kazakhstan is significant, and the orchestra’s creative friendship with composers has a long tradition that continues to this day. In 2022, the orchestra was named after conductor Tolepbergen Abdrashev.

Academic Folklore and Ethnographic Orchestra named after N.Tlendiyev «Otyrar sazy»

Artistic Director and Chief Conductor: Dinzukhra Tlendiyeva (Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan) , holder of the Order of “Kurmet” and “Parasat”

Orchestra conductors: Honored Artist of Kazakhstan, holder of the Order of “Kurmet” Zhalgasbek Amirkhanovich Begendikov, laureate of international and republican competitions Abilkaiyrkhan Beisekov.

 «Otyrar sazy» – Kazakh academic folklore and ethnographic orchestra of national instruments named after N. Tlendiev. At first, the «Otyrar Sazy» was created as an ensemble of Bolat Sarybaev. In 1982, the well-known conductor Nurgisa Tlendiyev came to the leadership of the ensemble, who elevated the ensemble to the category of an orchestra. In 1999, the orchestra was named after Nurgisa Tlendiyev.

The scientific research of the musicologist, Professor Bolat Sarybayev is of invaluable importance, because the voices of past generations are hidden in the sounds of antiquity — the living pages of the history of the musical culture of the Kazakh people. In addition to dombra and kobyz, the Otrar Sazy orchestra features ancient instruments — zhetygen, sherter, shankobyz, meskobyz, syrnai and sazsyrnai, sybyzgy, as well as percussion instruments — asatayak, dauylpaz, tuyaktas, konyrau, kayrak.

Such a variety of instruments makes it possible for the orchestra to widely display and show the listener the richest original samples of national folklore. This was the goal set for the orchestra by its first artistic director and chief conductor, People’s Artist of the USSR, laureate of the State Prize, People’s Hero, prominent public figure, composer Nurgisa Tlendiyev, who managed to prove that ancient folk instruments are able to embody not only works of small forms, but also large dramatic designs. Today, demonstrating the continuity of generations, the orchestra is led by daughter of N. Tlendiyev – Dinzukhra Tlendiyeva. The orchestra actively performs concerts in the cities of Kazakhstan, in the countries of the near and far abroad – Italy, France, Morocco, Vietnam, North Korea, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and many others. In 1996, the orchestra «Otyrar Sazy» won the prize of the International Zhambyl Foundation. The collective not only keeps the best samples of Kazakh musical folklore, but also constantly improves them with new treatments made taking into account modern expressive means and timbre capabilities of the orchestra.