MELODY OF CENTURIES

at a concert of national folklore and classical music
on Thursday 1st December 2011
from 18.30 pm to 22.00 pm
at the Chelsea Town Hall King's Road, Kensington and Chelsea, London, SW3 5EE

They are extremely talented and ambitious! Each of them has an outstanding personality that shines through their music! “Kerulen,” the first folklore performance group in the country was created in 2007.

Kerulen developed, supported and expanded the borders of traditional Kazakh music.
“Kerulen” is the name of the sacred river inhabited by the ancient Turks. The creative purpose of this famous group was to restore the disappearing melodies and ancient tunes as well as to decode their symbols and meanings.
The members of Kerulen popularize regional traditional musical art ethnographically and authentically.

 Aigul Ulkenbayeva was born in the city of Atyrau. Ms. Ulkenbayeva is a professional dombra player. She has graduated the Almaty music school named after Chajkovski and the Almaty state conservatory named after Kurmangazy. Ulkenbayeva is one of the most famous dombra players in Kazakhstan. She has demonstrated and introduced Kazakh musical culture to countries such as the USA, Austria, Germany, England, India, Turkey, Cyprus, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, South Korea etc. Her audio-video albums are sold in Kazakhstan and in the USA. Ulkenbayeva is the winner of the prestigious State Youth award “Daryn.” She also an honorary artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan which is the most honorable title for artists in Kazakhstan.

Yedil Khussainov is a composer and a researcher. Mr. Khussainov was born in Almaty and graduated the Almaty state conservatory named after Kurmangazy.

Mr. Khussainov plays on complex ancient musical instruments – zhetygen, sybyzgy, sazsyrnai, shankobyz and abyrgy. He is able to perform various genres of music such as folklore, ethno-symphonic and ethno- fate - music. Khussainov also possesses a unique vocal ability– throat singing. He performed in many world famous concert halls such as the Carnegie Hall (NY), Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall (London), Santori Hall (Tokyo). His CDs are sold in many countries around the world. He is a member of the Union of Composers of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and has been awarded “The Person of Year” in 2006.

Samat Karabalayev was born in Southern-Kazakhstan. In 2010, he completed the Kazakh National Conservatory perfecting his skills in a national instrument called kyl-kobyz with professor B.Kosbasarov. Karalbayev is the winner of many national and international competitions.

Kazakh-born musicians Bulat (cello) and Botagoz (violin) Tynybekov graduated from the Royal College of Music, supported by the full presidential Bolashak scholarship. Prize-winners of many international competitions, they have given concerts in Kazakhstan, Russia, UK and US (concert dedicated to the Victims of 9/11). As members of different chamber groups they have performed in different venues of London including playing in the world-premiere of Karl Jenkins?s „Tlep? at the Royal Albert Hall. Recent highlights include participation in music festivals in Germany, Malta, Italy and UK and recitals at venues such as National Gallery, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain, Royal College of Music and Emmanuel Hall of Cambridge University. In september 2011 Bulat and Botagoz toured Kazakhstan with acclaimed British pianist Sophia Rahman, sponsored by Air Astana, the leading air company in Kazakhstan.