Kazakhstan's cultural phenomenon Symphonic Kui presented at Beijing Forum
The Beijing Forum for Symphonic Music 2025, one of the flagship annual events of the World Association for Performing Arts (WAPA), has successfully concluded. Hosted by the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the forum gathered over 300 representatives from more than 190 art institutions across 30 countries and regions, reaffirming its role as a global hub for academic music dialogue, the press service of Astana Opera reported.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, Astana Opera was represented by conductor Elmar Buribayev and symphony orchestra director Gennadiy Anikushin.
Their report titled “The Folk Kui as a Form of Integrating National Tradition into Kazakhstan’s Symphonic Music,” drew significant interest. The Kazakh delegation demonstrated how national intonation and rhythm can be organically woven into the symphonic canvas, creating a new sound that clearly features both the spirit of steppe traditions and the European academic school.
The speakers emphasized that contemporary symphonic music in Kazakhstan represents a unique artistic synthesis. At its core lies the Symphonic Kui, a traditional instrumental piece that has transcended its genre boundaries to become a cultural phenomenon.
Blending folk melody, orchestral colors, and Western European forms, the Symphonic Kui bridges tradition and modernity, East and West, oral and written heritage. Works by Kazakh composers of the 20th and 21st centuries convincingly illustrate how national art can speak the universal language of the symphony without losing its deep roots and spiritual essence.
The Astana Opera’s presentation fit organically into the forum’s broader themes, which included issues such as engaging younger audiences in symphonic music, innovative methods for recording and distribution, the role of national elements in academic traditions worldwide, opportunities and challenges for young musicians.
The forum welcomed leading figures from the global music scene, including Thorben Dittes, Chief Executive of the Philharmonia Orchestra (London); Serge Dorny, General Director of the Bayerische Staatsoper; Joseph W. Polisi, President Emeritus of the Juilliard School and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tianjin Juilliard School, and many others.
Since 2019, the Beijing Forum for Symphonic Music has served as a vital platform for shaping modern trends in the global symphonic landscape. Kazakhstan’s active participation through the Astana Opera this year further highlighted the country’s expanding role in the international musical community.
Earlier, it was reported that Gaetano Donizetti’s comic opera L’Elisir d’Amore is set to be staged at the Astana Opera’s Grand Hall on December 6 and 7.
