Composer, Kyl-Kobyz player, improviser
Composer, performer, improviser from Kazakhstan. Tokzhan is posititioning herself as a performer of contemporary music on such a traditional Kazakh instrument – kobyz. Also, she composes for different kind of instruments, but pays special attention to Kobyz, because she wants to bring this instrument into the world of contemporary music. The thing that should be noted, her music bases on traditional Kazakh folk, but on the same time she is interested in contemporary techniques of playing. Tokzhan Karatai has no limits in her art. She participated in different kind of projects and collaborations. She already tried herself as an actress in first chamber opera in Kazakhstan by famous Russian composer A. Manotskov.
Experiences:
03/2010 Festival «Imago Dei», Krems, Austria (Performer)
04/2011 «Psalm», Graz, Austria (Performer)
07/2015-10/2016 International academy of contemporary music in Central Asia «Playing together», Central Asia, USA (Performer)
03/2015-today Contemporary music ensemble «Eegeru», Almaty, Kazakhstan (Performer, composer)
09/2017-11/2017 Collaborative project «OneBeat» produced by Found Sound Nation, USA (Performer, composer)
08/2017-today Multimedia project «Qyrq Qyz» (Forty girls) produced by Aga Khan Music Initiative, Central Asia, USA, France (Performer)
10/2018-today Composer in the residence of contemporary music ensemble «Eegeru», Kazakhstan
08/2018-today «Two Horizons», work in progress with Paris based director – Saodat Ismailova, produced by CEC Art Slink, Tashkent, Uzbekistan (Composer, performer)

06/2019 Chamber opera „Er-Tostik“, written
by Russian composer A. Manotskov, Kazakhstan, Russia
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Tokzhan Karatai on Soundcloud
Contact: via KultEurasia
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