February 24 – 200th Anniversary of the Birth of the Kuishi Composer Kurmangazy Sagyrbaiuly

Kurmangazy Sagyrbaiuly (1818–1889) was a great Kazakh kuishi composer and a classic of Kazakh instrumental music. From early childhood, the language of the kui, which comes from the throat of the two-stringed dombra, was the closest and most sensitive language to Kurmangazy. That is why, when he first saw Sokyr Yeszhan, he listened very attentively and understood the language and the spirit of the dombra. For the same reason, listening to his contemporaries such as Sherkesh, Baizhuma, and Balamaisan, he grasped the truest secrets of that time.

Kurmangazy was in love with life. He could rejoice in life's bright moments. His kuis, widely recognized among the people, such as «Adai», «Balbyrauyn», «Balkaimak», and «Aksak Kiik», sought to portray his love for his native land and for the historical events of that time.