In addition to Zaru Zhazykbayeva, representing Kazakhstan, out of 25 people who passed the qualifying round, 8 more performers from Russia and China became finalists of the competition for concertmasters.

"In addition to the main work with soloists and performances with artists at numerous vocal competitions as a concertmaster, I also always try to take part in concertmaster competitions myself and was happy to try my hand at the Hibla Gerzmava competition. It is important for me to fully realize myself as a concertmaster, not limited exclusively to the framework of the theatrical repertoire. This provides an opportunity for professional growth, new knowledge that I can subsequently apply in my work with vocalists in the theater. Participation in competitions allows you to study other views on the profession of a theater concertmaster, fresh facets of creativity, exchange experience with colleagues, show your skills, level of skill,"- said Zaru Zhazykbayeva.

It should be noted that according to the terms of the competition, a video recording of the performance of a scene from an opera without a vocalist, an accompaniment of an aria from an opera with a vocalist, created during 2023-2024 without sound editing, had to be sent for preliminary listening. The program of the first full-time round included: performing an aria by W.A. Mozart or J.S. Bach, a piece from a song cycle or a romance by a composer of the XIX-XX century and an aria from an opera by a composer of the XX-XXI century.

In the second round, Zaru Zhazykbayeva and other pianists demonstrated reading notes from a sheet with a vocalist, instrumental performance of a scene from an opera from the list proposed by the organizer and a fifteen-minute work with a vocalist on an aria or romance according to the proposed list. The participants were given the opportunity to work with one of the soloists of the Moscow Theater opera troupe. The program of the third round consisted of an aria from an opera, as well as a romance or a piece from a song cycle of the contestant's choice, while one of the pieces in the third round had to be written by a Russian composer of the XIX – XXI century.

The jury of the authoritative international competition was headed by its head, opera singer Hibla Gerzmava. It is important to emphasize that all rounds of the competition were held in an open format, those who wished could attend auditions by prior registration or listen to the performance in a live broadcast.

"Zaru Zhazykbayeva from Kazakhstan plays very vocally and musically! And it's easy for the vocalist to sing. Goosebumps!" Vasily Popov, a colleague of the concertmaster of the Academy of Young Opera Singers of the Mariinsky Theater, agrees. "Brilliant loss! This is one of the most difficult episodes in concert practice," - Svetlana Kovalchuk, concertmaster of the R. Glier Children's Music School of Moscow, expressed her opinion.