The “Sagynish Sazy” ensemble, made up of retirees from the Active Longevity Center in the Esil District, won first place at the “AZERBAIJAN GRAND FESTIVAL” singing competition held in Baku.
The festival, organized by the “Astana Stars” International Competitions Committee at the end of March, aimed to strengthen intercultural relations and musical culture. Over 400 participants from countries such as Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and others competed in various genres.
The ensemble’s talented retirees performed the folk song “Beu-aidai” and impressed the audience with their performances and beautifully embroidered costumes. The ensemble is led by the Honored Worker of Culture of Kazakhstan, Janarbek Iskendirov, while the artistic direction and repertoire are handled by one of the active members, Sharbat Kurmanova.
The ensemble began its journey in December 2019 within the city’s veteran organization in the Saryarka district. Initially, they focused on performing folk songs. Today, their repertoire is diverse, with around 80 songs in their musical collection.
The ensemble was founded thanks to the efforts of the singer, composer, and musician Külzagila Barlykova. Their first concert took place in 2019 at the “Sharapat” retirement home.
“It is a great achievement for us that the talented retirees from our Center returned with a prize from the international singing competition. The ‘Sagynish Sazy’ ensemble has celebrated its 5th anniversary, and they recently held a celebratory concert. The ensemble consists of grandmothers aged between 62 and 72 who are passionate about singing. The ensemble is always in search of creative ideas, and their repertoire is diverse — in addition to folk songs, they perform thermes, popular songs, and pieces in other genres,” concluded Janar Esenamanova, Head of the Social Services Department of Esil District.
By winning first place at this competition, the “Sagynish Sazy” ensemble earned a ticket to the GREECE GRAND FESTIVAL, which will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Today, the “Sagynish Sazy” ensemble has become the beloved singers of their peers, delighting the residents of the city with their artistic achievements. We wish the ensemble further success at the upcoming artistic contests!
