Postcard from Bishkek

Today is the birthday  of Jumash Dudusaliev – not just any birthday, but as he turns 20 it is an especially important birthday, what is known here as a Kroogliy data.

We’ve been hearing quite a bit about him recently.

Although he was born here in Kyrgyzstan, in Bishkek, ten years ago he received a scholarship from the Meerim Foundation and moved to Britain, where he studied first at Aberdeen City Music School, then at the Yehudi Menuhin School near Cobham in Surrey and he is currently studying at the Royal College of Music in London.

For the record: The Yehudi Menuhin School was founded in 1963 by the world famous violist, Yehudi Menuhin, to:

• provide a suitable environment and tuition for musically gifted children from all over the world;
• enabling them to pursue their love of music, develop their musical potential, and achieve standards of performance on stringed instruments and piano at the highest level.
• providing them with excellent instrumental teachers, adequate time for practice, frequent opportunities for performance, ensemble work with other gifted children, a broad range of other music study and activity, together with a stimulating and creative academic programme

It caters for about 60 boys and girls from around the world and counts a number of famous musicians among its alumni.

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The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, in London – the result of an initiative by the Prince Consort to provide free musical training to winners of scholarships under a nationwide scheme.

The College has some 750 students drwan from over 60 countries following undergraduate, Masters and Doctoral level.

Graduates have included composers such as Holst, Vaughan Williams and Britten; conductors such as Leopold Stokowski, Sir Colin Davis and Sir Roger Norrington; singers such as Dame Joan Sutherland, Sir Thomas Allen andAlfie Boe; instrumentalists such as James Galway, John Lill and Natalie Clein.

His mother being a professional pianist, he grew up in a musical environment.  He began playing when he was about five, apparently his mother wanted him to learn the piano but he was drawn to the violin.  He pays tribute to his teachers and the fact that he had the opportunity to play with “great musicians” as contributing to his development – including with the cellist Yo-to Ma when he visited Bishkek, when he was just eight years old.

Actually, he has quite an impressive list of concert performances – most recently here in Bishkek.

Like most talented musicians, he is interested in music of different genres – for example Jazz and Folk music.

Apparently he is also interested in improvisation and is a composer in his own right.

At the moment, there are few recorded examples of his performances but here is one of him playing Ave Maria at the 2012 International Chinghiz Aitmatov Award Ceremony:

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… and here is another snippet from his recent Bishkek performance featuring an interview (in Russian):

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So, all that remains is to wish Jumash Dudusaliev a Happy Birthday!

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Tags: People