The Department of Wind Instruments began its glorious activity in 1972, when young teachers V.N. Fomenko and V.L. Kuts made the first enrollment of students. In 1973, the energetic V.G. Tkachenko and V.Ya.Ertman actively joined the ranks of wind teachers. Since then, training has been conducted on almost all wind instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, trombone, tuba.

The founder of the department V.N. Fomenko

In 1981, H.Sh.Nasyrov opened a class of percussion instruments. Two years later, the pedagogical activity of E.A. Soldatov (french horn) began, and in 1986, new fresh forces joined the department in the person of A.M. Shakimova (flute). By the way, almost all of these first teachers of the Department of Wind and Percussion Instruments graduated from Alma-Ata State Conservatory named after Kurmangazy.           

In return, the department is proud of its students, of whom about 300 graduated over 50 years of work. We still keep in touch with many of them.

From left to right: sitting – teachers V.G. Tkachenko, V.L. Kuts, V.N. Fomenko, V.Ya. Ertman; standing – the first graduates of the department V. Durnev, V. Romaikin, D. Gaidarzhi, E. Soldatov A. Bulygin, S. Fomin, Yu. Kelin, P. Ozerny. 1976 year

From left to right: teachers of the department V.Ya. Ertman, E.A. Soldatov, E.D. Duysenbayev,

V.N. Fomenko, V.G. Tkachenko. 1990 year

Let’s remember some students who became laureates of the traditional Republican competition of young performers on wind instruments in different years. They are V. Timoshenko, a talented student of V.N. Fomenko, T. Rysmaganbetov (class of teacher E.A. Soldatov),

M. Berdimuratov – the pedagogical success of B.D. Duysenbayev. And this is only a small part of the students – wind musicians, who in different years became winners of many regional, republican, international classical and jazz competitions and Olympiads both as soloists and as members of ensembles and orchestras of the college department. Such achievements stimulate the creative activity of both teachers and their students.        

Currently, graduates of the department work in various professional musical groups of the CIS countries and far abroad. Many of them successfully combine teaching and performing activities. Let’s name only some of the whole galaxy who graduated from the Department of Wind and Percussion Instruments, as well as former teachers of Aktobe Music College, who devoted their whole life to their favorite instrument. They are working in Russia: A. Veliky and A. Sundukov (Moscow), V. Dudko (St. Petersburg), V. Ertman and V. Tkachenko (Orenburg), N. Abilov (Ingushetiya), K. Veremeeva (Magadan), E. Khan and I. Gavrilyuk (Samara), Z. Kulbatyrov and Yu.Molochly (Magnitogorsk), Ya. Izimov (Orsk). S. Fomin and V. Shtreker (Germany), V. Krasutsky (Israel) are promoting the domestic school of playing wind instruments. Those who left Aktobe and Kazakhstan due to various family circumstances nevertheless remember the years of study and work in college as the best period of their lives. So, V.Ya. Ertman, who worked at the Department of Wind and Percussion Instruments for more than 30 years, writes: “I owe everything that I have and what good I have done in my life to the land of Kazakhstan and Aktobe Music College named after A. Zhubanov, where there is an excellent young professional team, talented students and a kind understanding director K.U. Kozhanbayev”.

             Wind instruments graduates continue their studies in higher musical educational institutions of Kazakhstan and Russia, and not only in traditional ones. So, the Military Institute (military conductors) in Moscow, which trains officers with higher military special education for the Armed Forces, graduated from Colonel A. Veliky, Lieutenant P. Kundebayev, and the brothers Akniet Abashov and Arman Abashov are currently studying there.

Our former students have worked and are working in the best domestic ensembles and orchestras, such as State Opera and Ballet Theater “Astana Opera”, the Presidential Orchestra – the main musical group during protocol, diplomatic and other celebrations of national significance, the State Academic Philharmonic of Akimat of Nur-Sultan. State Wind Band of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Almost all professional wind bands of Aktobe are staffed by graduates and students of the music college: the pop and wind band of the city House of Culture, the chamber orchestra of the regional Philharmonic named after G. Zhubanova, and wind bands of military units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defense. These and many other professional and amateur collectives with their own specific features and traditions were led first by college teachers, such as V.N. Fomenko, E.A. Soldatov, V.G. Tkachenko, and then by graduates of the Department of Wind Instruments – K. Nugmetov, P.Kundebayev and S. Yerkegulov who was awarded the badge “Excellence in Culture”.

In Children’s Music School and Children’s Art School of the city and district centers, the teachers of wind instruments are well-deserved respect, introducing children to the world and domestic musical culture.

Among the teachers and graduates of the Department of Wind and Percussion Instruments, talented administrators – heads of the main institutions of culture and art of Aktobe – have also advanced. Thus, the founder of the department, V.N. Fomenko, headed Aktobe Music College named after A. Zhubanov during the most difficult period in the history of the country and the educational institution – from 1995 to 2003. In recognition of the merits of this teacher, who brought up a whole generation of current wind musicians, who received the honorary title “Honored Worker of Kazakhstan”, the college has a class named after him, and since 2016, on the initiative and under the leadership of K.M. Duisenbayeva, the republican (and in the foreseeable future, international) competition of wind instrument performers named after V.N. Fomenko has been successfully held annually.

Opening of the class named after V.N. Fomenko.  From left to right: N.A. Fomenko,

K.U. Kozhanbayev, G.K. Kozhenbayeva, K.K. Zhasekenov, Zh.Zh. Asylkhanov, AD. Ismagulov.

2017 year

Competition named after V.N. Fomenko.  Speaking Student A. Abashov,

Concertmaster I.A. Kopyto

E.D. Duisenbayev was the head of Aktobe Regional Philharmonic named after G. Zhubanova for many years, for which he was awarded the honorary title “Honored Worker of Kazakhstan”. K.M. Duisenbayev is currently the Deputy Director for Academic Affairs of Music College.

Improving their pedagogical skills, the teachers of the department constantly perform in concerts both as soloists-performers and as part of ensembles and orchestras, which participate with great success in all significant events of the city and regional level. The annual reporting concerts of the wind band, ensembles, and class concerts have become traditional. One of the most important results of these performances was the promotion of wind instruments and their rich expressive possibilities in different musical directions and styles, which greatly contributes to career guidance.

College wind band. Head B. D. Duisenbayev (in the center). 2018 year

            Due to the efforts of the college administration, the department of wind and percussion instruments has an excellent material and technical base, which was formed gradually. Currently, each teacher works in his own office, corresponding to his specialty. A particularly significant event was the purchase in 2017 of a set of wooden, copper and percussion instruments, while the timpani and marimba of the famous company “Adams” appeared in the college for the first time and effectively decorated our instruments.

The Department of Wind and Percussion Instruments is proud of its highly professional staff, who are known to solve everything. In different periods, it was headed by V.N. Fomenko, V.Ya. Ertman, E.A. Soldatov, K.M. Duisenbayev. Since 2009, the department has been headed by B.D. Duisenbayev. The teachers A.A. Parusimov (trumpet), E.D. Duisenbayev (saxophone), V.G. Tkachenko, M.G. Arkus and D.A. Koliy (clarinet), V. Krasutsky and A. Abdrakhmanov (percussion instruments), G.M. Chen (trombone) contributed to the education of young musicians. Currently, the department employs E.A. Soldatov and K.K. Nurseitiyn (French horn), A.M. Shakimova and E.E. Bekbulatova (flute), B.D. Duisenbayev (trumpet, tuba), A.G. Berkeshev (percussion instruments), K.M. Duisenbayev (clarinet, saxophone), E.I. Kurmanalin (clarinet), M.M. Karabasov (trombone). Almost all teachers of the department are graduates of Aktobe Music College named after A. Zhubanov, who after receiving higher special education returned to their native educational institution in a new capacity and now continue the work of their mentors – the founders of wind music in Aktobe, preserving and developing their best traditions.

Teachers of the department. From left to right: sitting-A.M. Shakimova B.D. Duisenbayev,

E.E. Bekbolatova, K.K.Nurseitiyn

       standing: E.I. Kurmanalin, E.A. Soldatov, K.M. Duisenbayev, M.M. Karabasov,

A.G. Berkeshev.

In addition, we cannot help but remember the concertmasters who worked and continue to work together with teachers and students – wind and percussionist players. These are L. Zaritskaya, A. Agafonov – senior, L. Arkus, S. Kurchenko, M. Podlibner, N. Merkusheva, E. Novitskaya, L. Samokhina, I. Kopyto, S. Veryasova, M. Shevchenko. Without their necessary professional support, the achievements of the department would be unthinkable.