Shamshi Kaldayakov would have turned 90 today

These days mark the 90^th anniversary of Shamshi Kaldayakov. He is a symbolic figure in the Kazakh culture. Elbasy decreed to award Shamshi Kaldayakov the status of the people’s artist. His song My Kazakhstan becomes the state anthem of Kazakhstan. As part of the CIS Capital of Culture the traditional festival dedicated to Shamshi Kaldayakov is held online. It brings together artists not only from CIS member states but also from the U.S. and Turkey. Notably, Shymkent hold online exhibitions and music evenings in honor of the composer’s anniversary. A street, a philharmonic hall and a square are named after Shamshi Kaldayakov in the city.