The dombyra (домбыра) is a lute-style instrument. It is an ancient and quintessential piece of Kazakh culture and identity. In its most popular form, the dombyra has two-strings strung down a long, skinny neck and a pear-shaped body, flat at the front and rounded on the backside. The standard English spelling of dombra is taken […]

For traveling soccer fans, attending a live game is a wonderful way to experience a unique part of local culture. Despite being a truly global sport, soccer has a unique culture everywhere it is played. Whether it be the chants or the food at the concessions, there is always something to learn about the local […]

Here are five Kazakh bands working to bring traditional Kazakh instrumentation and musical styles into modern music. Roksonaki Seamless Kazakh Folk Rock Roksonaki is a Kazakh band that was formed in 2006. Its name means “lightning” in Kazakh, chosen to represent the band’s energetic and electrifying musical style. They are known for their unique fusion […]

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mamer Rayes has been an active musician for more than 30 years. While his style of music has shifted over time, it remains deeply rooted in the language, instruments, and folklore of the Khazak culture in which he was raised. Mamer was born in Xinjiang, an autonomous region of northwestern China. […]

The London School, where the SRAS students in Bishkek study, is located near a small shopping mall known as the VEFA Center. Due to its proximity, VEFA is where most students do their shopping. It also hosts many rotating attractions, however, in the large presentation space at the main entrance. Sometimes this is marketing for […]

Tulpan (Тюльпан) is an award-winning 2008 comedy-drama by Kazakh director Sergey Dvortsevoy (Сергей Дворцевой). The film was Kazakhstan’s official submission to the 2009 Academy Awards’ Foreign Language Film category. It also won Best Film at the second annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards that same year, as well as a Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2008 […]

A’Studio (А’Студио) is a Kazakh-Russian pop group who has also gained popularity in Europe and the United States. Founded in 1987 by Kazakh musician Baigali Serkebaev (Байгали Серкебаев), A’Studio today is an ensemble of three musicians—Serkebaev, Vladimir Mikloshich (Владимир Миклошич), and Katie Topuria (Кети Топурия)—with the participation of drummer Yevgeniy Dalskiy (Евгений Дальский). In 1989, A’Studio’s […]