Music in their home resounds in several languages. For Ailyn, it's the dombra, the kuis, and the desire to one day bring Kazakh music to different countries around the world. Marcel has the guitar, the piano, drawings, and an interest in unusual instruments. Together, they don't just study music; they create a small family world where, alongside rehearsals, there are performances, a blog, charitable projects, and a cat who has almost become a full-fledged participant in their videos.

Marcel and Ailyn's story didn't begin on the big stage. It began with their first lessons, homework, music school, pre-performance jitters, and the desire to play better than the day before. Today, the brother and sister from Almaty have graduated from the Prokofiev Children's Music School No. 3, perform for audiences, and continue to explore their creative potential.

Their example shows how national music is becoming more accessible to a new generation. In their hands, the dombra sounds not like a museum piece, but like a living instrument – ​​alongside the guitar, piano, phone camera, and modern video formats. Thus, tradition becomes part of everyday life and becomes part of family history. In an interview with Qazaq Culture, Aylin and Marcel talked about their first steps in music, their favorite instruments, creativity, performances, dreams, and their cat, who, it seems, wouldn't mind becoming popular.

First Instruments

Each of them had their own path to music. Aylin was drawn to the dombra from childhood because she wanted to play an instrument connected to Kazakh culture. Marcel came to music through the guitar, but drawing appeared in his life even earlier.
– Aylin, tell us how you and your brother first became acquainted with music? Why, of all the different instruments, is the dombra particularly close to your heart?
– We've been playing music for six years now. Our introduction to it began in childhood. Marcel chose the guitar, and I wanted to play something special and connected to our culture, so I chose the dombra.
Over time, this instrument has become very close and beloved to me. This year, we graduated together from S.S. Prokofiev Children's Music School No. 3. The training gave us a good foundation and helped us fall in love with music even more.
Now I plan to continue studying the dombra at Shabyt to further develop and hone my skills.
– Marcel, you study music and are interested in drawing. What came first in your life, and what role does creativity play for you today?
– Drawing came into my life very early. My parents say I was finger painting at six months old. That's probably why creativity has always been something natural for me.
I started playing music later: I started playing the guitar at the age of six. Music schools typically don't accept guitar students at that age, but I successfully passed the entrance exams and began my studies.
Now I continue to develop both in music and in the visual arts. In addition to guitar, I paint, and this year I completed my first year at the Abylkhan Kasteyev School. For me, creativity is an opportunity to express my feelings, ideas, and moods in different ways: through music, drawing, and performance.

Dombra and Guitar: Two Characters of One Duo

In their duo, the instruments sound distinctly different. For Ailyn, the dombra represents a connection to culture, the recognizable voice of tradition, and the energy of kuys. For Marcel, the guitar is an instrument of self-expression that can be soft, lyrical, vibrant, and energetic.
– Ailyn, the dombra occupies a special place in Kazakh culture. What do you like most about its sound, and which pieces do you enjoy performing most?
– My parents initially suggested I choose the piano or the violin, but I really wanted to play the dombra from the very beginning. I was only five years old then, and I finally managed to persuade them.
I love that the dombra has an unusual, beautiful, and very recognizable sound. It has a special energy and character. I most enjoy performing Kazakh kuis—they vary in mood, but each one is powerful in its own way.
My favorite pieces include "Saryarka," "Er Turan," and "Adai."
– Marcel, you play several instruments. Tell us which ones you practice, and which one is your favorite right now?
– Yes, besides guitar, I also play piano. Since my second year, we've had the opportunity to choose an additional instrument, and I've been interested in exploring a new direction.
Piano helps me better understand music: hear the melody, harmony, and mood of a piece, and generally perceive sound more broadly.
But the guitar remains my closest and most beloved instrument. It was with it that I began my musical journey, so it holds a special place. I love that the guitar has a very lively and varied sound: it can be soft and lyrical, vibrant, and energetic. It can convey a wide range of emotions, so the guitar is my main instrument of self-expression right now.

A Cat in the Frame and a Scene with a Good Cause

Every creative blog has a detail that viewers remember especially quickly. For Eileen, that detail is the cat. She appears alongside you while you play the dombra, lies down in front of the camera, and gradually becomes a small symbol of the homey atmosphere of their videos.
– Ailyn, your pet, your cat, often appears in the frame next to you, and viewers have come to perceive her as part of your creative persona. Does she help you during rehearsals and filming?
– When I start playing the dombra, our cat almost always comes to me, even if she was previously in another room. It's as if she hears the sound of the instrument and immediately understands that a rehearsal or filming is about to begin.
And when we turn on the camera, she often lies down right in front of the lens or next to me, so she's gradually become a part of our videos. Viewers have become accustomed to seeing her in the frame, write about her in the comments, and are happy when she appears. I think she also feels the music and the atmosphere, or maybe she just wants to be popular too.
While the cat adds a homey warmth to their videos, the performances give the music a different meaning. Especially when the stage is connected to charity.
– Marcel, your duo already has experience performing in front of large audiences. Which performance or creative project has been the most memorable for you, and why?
– My favorite performances are at charity festivals – especially those that support children and animals. Such events are special to me because there, creativity becomes more than just a performance, but an opportunity to do something kind and useful.
It's so rewarding to understand that music can not only delight audiences but also help others. When you go on stage and know that your performance is connected to an important cause, it inspires you even more and gives the performance a special meaning.

Dreams That Resound Loud

In the finale, their answers are especially reminiscent of childhood – bold, honest, and a little unexpected. Ailyn's dreams revolve around the dombra, a cat, travel, the kobyz, and the desire to teach children music. Marcel has a guitar, a waterphone, a new iPhone, and a big dream of one day making his country a better place.
– Today, you're known as a musical duo that popularizes music and traditional instruments. What are your dreams, what goals do you set for yourselves, and where do you see yourself in the future?
– I dream of helping homeless children and animals. It's important for me to never give up, to move forward, and to gradually achieve my goals.
Another dream of mine is to travel with my cat and perform Kazakh kuis on the dombra in different countries around the world. I want people abroad to hear the sound of the dombra and learn more about our culture.
In the future, I'd like to master the kobyz, because it's a very beautiful and profound instrument. I don't have enough free time for that right now, but I hope to learn to play it one day. And in the future, I want to become a teacher and teach children music.
– I dream of becoming a successful person and making a difference. Of course, there are simple dreams, too—for example, I really want a new iPhone 17.
I plan to continue pursuing music, developing my guitar skills, and exploring new genres. I recently learned about an interesting instrument, the waterphone. It has an unusual, slightly mystical sound, and I became intrigued by how it's played. Maybe one day I'll try to master it too.
Their dreams seamlessly combine the stage, travel, animals, new instruments, and a very mature desire to be useful. Perhaps this is the main charm of their story: Marcel and Aylin are just starting out, but they already understand that music can be more than just a passion. It can unite family, speak of culture, help others, and feel like the first step toward a big dream.