Almaty celebrated the 100th anniversary of Fatima Balgayeva

Almaty celebrated the 100th anniversary of Fatima Balgayeva

Events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fatima Balgaeva – People's Artist of the Kazakh SSR, professor, and founder of the professional school of kobyz performance – took place at the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory in Almaty.

As part of the program, a memorial plaque was unveiled at the residence of the outstanding performer. A grand concert "Fatima Balgaeva – Padishah of Kobyz Art" was also held in the Y. Rakhmadiyev Grand Concert Hall.

A special event was the donation of Balgaeva's dombyra and kobyz to the conservatory by her family. The kobyz, which had been kept in the family for 45 years, was specially restored for the commemorative date. During the concert, Kenjegul Musayeva, a student of the musician, associate professor at the K. Baiseitova Kazakh National University of Arts, and an excellent worker in culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan, performed on this historical instrument.

In addition, an international scientific and practical conference "Fatima Balgaeva: Performing Art and Traditions of the Kobyz School" was held. During the conference, a commemorative photo album and a sheet music collection "Pieces for Kobyz" were presented. A bust of Fatima Balgaeva was also unveiled in the foyer of the A. Zhubanov Small Hall.

Fatima Balgaeva made a significant contribution to the development of Kazakh musical culture. She was the first head of the "Kobyz and Bayan" department and stood at the origins of the academic school of kobyz playing. Thanks to her pedagogical and creative activities, several generations of professional musicians were educated.

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05.05.2026