The Department of Choral Conducting has been running its chronology since 1971, that is, since the founding of Aktobe Music School. At its origins were P.M.Savchuk, D.V. Agafonov and A.A. Zhakeyeva. As head teacher, P.M. Savchuk led the mixed choir, which in 1980 became a diploma winner of the republican competition, and composed several songs for the 100th anniversary of Aktobe.
After state exams. From left to right: sitting – P.M.Savchuk, K.U. Kozhanbayev, S.A.Kartashova, D.V. Agafonov; standing – students of P.M. Savchuk. 1975 year
D.V. Agafonov from 1971 to 1977 headed the department, worked with the school choir and amateur groups. A.A. Zhakeyeva was engaged in the creation of a school practice base for future choral conductors, took part in the All-Union meeting on the problems of music education in national schools.
Since 1972, graduates of the Alma-Almaty Conservatory N.A.Fomenko and T.S.Alaguzov began to work at the department, who organized the female choir of the school, the first song holidays in the city, which stood at the origins of the choir of the children’s ensemble “Iskorki”, as well as the chamber choir of Aktobe Philharmonic. From 1990 to 1995 he was the director of our educational institution.
Concert of the female choir of the school. Conductor T.S.Alaguzov, accompanist E.M. Moskalets. 1974 year
From 1974 to 2000, the bright activity of Yu.V. Zakharkin took place. From the first days he was actively engaged in amateur activities, from 1978 to 1982 he led the women’s choir of the department and from 1982 to 2000 – mixed. Gravitating to the works of a large form, Yu.V. Zakharkin performed such significant works as the cantatas “Night Clouds” by G. Sviridov, “Three Russian Songs” and “Spring” by S. Rahmaninov. The mixed choir under his command was awarded a diploma of the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR.
A little later in different years, N.V. Duisengaliyeva, S.I. Suvorov, U.E. Yerzhanova, N.E. Bulgakova, A.I. Zenikova taught at the college, who headed the department from 1984 to 1989 and achieved great success in the field of working with the city’s self-work, organizing in 1979
Department teachers. From left to right: A.I. Zenikova, N.A. Fomenko, Z.N. Nakibayeva, N.B. Konurbasova, Yu.V. Zakharkin, M.V. Potudina, A.H. Parusimova.
1996 year
Since 1982, the pedagogical activity of former graduates who received higher education at the Almaty State Conservatory named after Kurmangazy begins: A.N. Dzhumasheva, who organized a mixed choir of students – performers on Kazakh folk instruments and headed the department in 2005-2006; N.B. Konurbasova, who led the female and later mixed choir of the college, from 1992 to 1994 worked as a choirmaster, and in 2000-2005 – the chief conductor of the chamber choir at the Philharmonic named after G. Zhubanova. From 2003 to 2008, she was
the director of the college.
A.N. Dzhumasheva and the female composition of the Kazakh choir on the basis of the department of Kazakh folk instruments. 1989 year
N.B. Konurbasova. 2001year
Together with them, from 1991 to 2003, T.N. Novitskaya taught, directing the women’s choir of the department and working as a choirmaster of the chamber choir of the Philharmonic Society, and then leading it
T.N. Novitskaya
In 1994, A.Kh. Parusimova joined the team, who had extensive experience in the Atyrau Music School and was actively involved in amateur performances with the veteran choir “Mentor”.
A.Kh. Parusimova. 2009 year
From 1994 to 2006, a bright page in the history of the department was written by its head and leader of the mixed choir, a former graduate of the college Z.N. Nakibayeva, who currently holds the title “Excellence in Culture” and is at the head of the choral conducting department of the Almaty College of Music named after P.I. Chaykovsky.
College Mixed Choir Performance. Conductor Z.N. Nakibayeva, soloist M.K. Bekzhanov, accompanist L.N. Zakharkina. 2003
At Aktobe Music College named after A. Zhubanov, all the pedagogical activities of the school graduate who graduated from the Astrakhan State Conservatory, M.V. Potudina, who taught from 1985 to 2019 years and served as the head of the department in 2008-2015 years. Active and communicable, she has established herself as a competent specialist who has trained more than 30 choirmasters working and studying at universities in Kazakhstan and neighboring countries. It was she who taught special disciplines to the wonderful singer S. Kasyan, now a soloist of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia, performing in the best opera houses in the world and awarded the knightly order of St. Sylvester, which was awarded to her by Pope Francis.
S. Kasyan and M.B.Potudina. 2015 year
Since 2004, actively and fruitfully work at the department M.T. Zhamankulova and A.M.Imukhambetova – graduates of the college and Almaty State Conservatory named after Kurmangazy. Meiramgul Tlektesovna, who graduated from the graduate school of the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, is the author of songs for children and youth, which are published in collections, the organizer of the Zhaidarman children’s vocal studio, which often performs at many city events. Since 2012, she successfully leads the mixed choir of the college, which has repeatedly been awarded diplomas and letters of thanks to the city and regional administrations. It is worth noting the long-term and painstaking work M.T. Zhamankulova with children’s choirs of the music studio of our educational institution.
Mixed college choir. Head M.T. Zhamankulova, accompanist Z.G. Zhazykbaeva. 2021
A.M.Imukhambetova, who studied at the graduate school of the Kazakh National Kurmangazy Conservatory, led both the mixed choir of the college and the chamber team of the Aktobe Philharmonic named after G. Zhubanova.
Since 2010, A. A. Zholimova (Kustayeva), a graduate of the Aktobe Music College named after A. Zhubanov, began her teaching career. For several years, she served as the head of the department and worked as a choirmaster of various children’s groups, which invariably became winners of competitions and festivals of various levels — from city to national and international. The vocal ensemble of students “Orken” created by her is well known in the city for its bright concert performances.
Teacher A.A. Zholimova and Head of the Regional Department of Education B.Zh. Samuratova with the vocal ensemble “Orken”. 2015 year
Currently, the Choral Conducting Department includes novice teachers who, after graduating from our college and the Kazakh National Conservatory or the Kazakh National University of Arts, continue the best traditions the first mentors. This is the current head of the department Z.K. Nurgazin, who already has thanks for the training of laureates of various competitions, A.M. Ramazanov, B.M. Batyrsha, A.A. Zhaksymurat (Balymbayeva), B.K. Yakupov.
And finally, both the history of the department and its present existence are unthinkable without N.A. Fomenko. Her many years of fruitful activity, speaking of which the word “for the first time” often has to be used, would more precisely be called the service of choral art. In the rich pedagogical arsenal of Natalia Alexandrovna, who participated in the international conference “European Pre-University Music Education” in St. Petersburg, there are tourist educational trips, lecture concerts and the competition “Home Music” for students of the department, passing exams in specialty with vocal ensembles, organizing vocal and choir children’s festivals for schools in the city and region. With the direct participation of N.A. Fomenko, “Iskorki” folk ensemble of the City Palace of schoolchildren began its activities, of which she was 18 years old. It was thanks to her kicking energy and creative enthusiasm that the church choir appeared, of which she has been regent since 1991, the senior choir and boys choir of gymnasium school No. 9, led by her from 1992 to 2018, the children’s collective at the philanthropic foundation “Patron,” the vocal ensemble “Inzhu”,existing since 2007, the choir at the Ukrainian cultural center “Oksana”.
Performance of the vocal ensemble “Inzhu” at a gala concert in the Organ Hall of the Kazakh National Academy of Music. 2007 year
Students of N.A. Fomenko have repeatedly won prizes at republican and international competitions of choirmaster conductors – these are R. Nurkatova, M. Zhamankulova, A. Kustayev, G. Abdullina, G. Seilkhan, M. Bekenova, A. Satybaeva.
The “Inzhu” ensemble, having won the Grand Prix at the jazz junior competition, in 2008 received an invitation to visit the United States, where he successfully performed at the University of California and the Music Institute of Los Angeles.
Performance of the ensemble “Inzhu” at the Hollywood Institute of Music. 2008
This creative team is a constant and desirable participant in all significant events of the city and region, winner of a number of competitions – in Astana, Kostanay, Uralsk, Sochi, Moscow, Prague, Kazan, St. Petersburg.
Vocal ensemble “Inzhu”. From left to right: M. Bekmambetova, A. Urazova, A. Dzhumagalyieva, A. Satybayeva, A. Satbayev. 2018
During the years of work at the college, Natalia Alexandrovna graduated more than 80 specialists, who then continued their education at universities in Almaty, Astana, Astrakhan, Saratov, Orenburg, Kazan, Moscow, Prague; a large number of master classes were held for teachers of high school and music teachers of general schools. The numerous diplomas, letters of thanks, the medal of Y. Altynsarin only to a small extent reflect the huge contribution that she made not only to the history of Aktobe Music College named after A. Zhubanov, but also to the development and promotion of the art of choral singing so beloved by her in Kazakhstan.
Graduates of the department successfully work in Aktobe and its region, while the predominant majority of them are directly engaged in choral practice. Many work in a specialty in the regional philharmonic named after G. Zhubanova: Kazakh Chamber Choir, the artists of which are V. Nesterov, K. Dosmagambetova, S. Bodrakova, A. Abilkhanova, G. Kaldyrova, G. Kulamanova, M. Abishev, headed by M. E. Zhila manages the choir of the regional center “Slavs” at the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan of Aktobe region.
A number of our former students continue to in other cities of the country. So, A. Abishev became the head of the troupe, chief choirmaster of the Astana Musical State Theater, as well as the choirmaster of the A. Mambetov State Drama and Comedy Theater; V.Savinkova – artist of the choir of the Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Abai. And N. Merkusheva, the head of the church mixed choirs Risstissen and Attenweiler in the German city of Munderkingen, remained faithful to her chosen profession, even leaving our country.
Some graduates of the choral conducting department have made the professional choice in favor of solo singing. For example, Zh. Nurkasymova is a soloist of the Aktobe Regional Philharmonic Society named after I. G. Zhubanova, A. Zharmagambetova – vocal coach of the State Academic Russian Drama Theater named after M. Gorky in Nur-Sultan and senior musician of the National Military-Patriotic Center of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, S. Mendygaliyeva and A. Kuatov are solo artists of the State Concert Organization “Kazakh Concert”, A. Madekeshova sings with the Presidential Orchestra of the State Security Service of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the cities of the near abroad they perform as soloists: on the stage of the Ryazan Theater of Musical Comedy – L. Shubina, in the Astrakhan State Opera and Ballet Theater – M. Kukharev and S. Lukashenko.
Some of our graduates managed to combine work with the choir and administrative activities, and some of them completely transferred to managerial positions. M. Podlibner is at the helm of the Children’s Music Studio at the Aktobe College of Music. A. Zhubanov, G. Kshaeva – in Aktobe and S. Bakhtiyarova – in Alga became directors and chorus masters of children’s music schools; L. Omarova heads the Regional House of Folk Art, Yu. Savchenko established and headed the private tutoring school “Mugalim”.
Former students of the Department of Choral Conducting have shown themselves to be competent not only in their native art of music, but also in related fields of culture, showing flexibility and diversity of abilities. So, L. Tormysheva is an actress and assistant director of the Aktobe Regional Drama Theater named after T. Akhtanova, R. Nurkatova is in charge of the literary section of the Shymkent City Russian Drama Theater, and E. Panarina is at the head of the Department of Culture and Cinema of the village of Ozinki, Saratov region.
We remember all our graduates; we love and are proud of their successes. In the life of each of them, the choral conducting department of the Aktobe Music College played a role, largely determining the professional and, consequently, life path.
Teachers of the Department “Choral Conducting”. From left to right: A.M.Ramazanova, A.M.Imukhambetova, N.A. Fomenko, B.K.Yakupov, Z.K.Nurgazina, M.T. Zhamankulova, A.A. Zhaksymurat, B.M.Batyrsha. 2021year