MP Issimbayeva voices concerns over Kazakhstan's classic music

Deputy Issimbayeva voiced concerns over the fate of Kazakhstan’s classic music and gave a disappointing forecast of its development. According to her, should the state funding for musicians' training not increase in Kazakhstan, the country will soon be left with no cellists, violists and harpists, Tengrinews.kz reports. “We have only three artistic universities: Zhurgenov Theater University in Almaty, Kurmangazy National Conservatory in Almaty and National Arts University in Astana. The state order (and its funding) remains at the level of 1990s in these universities; it is shrinking. There is a natural process of personnel aging. In 5-10 years we will have no cellists, violists, harpists, etc. We have only one harpist in Kazakhstan (in Almaty) and all the performances get suspended, when she is invited to Astana,” Issimbayeva said at the meeting in the Majilis (Lower Chamber of the Parliament) where a draft state budget for 2013-2015 was presented. “We already have nobody to train these professionals, while what we need is to increase the state order by only 300 seats (100 seats per each school) in 2013. The issue is worth 360 million ($2.4 million): this is not that huge amount compare to the trillions and billions that we spend. We have to think about the future, at least the nearest 10-15 years, and keep in mind that education of these professionals takes the total of 10-12 years. I am asking the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy to support this initiative,” the deputy said. “We are not just a country rich with natural resources and an emerging economy, but we are also striving to become a cultural hub,” the deputy emphasized. The Minister of Finance redirected Issimbayeva’s question to the Ministry of Education and Science. “Training of personnel in culture and arts is provided based on the order prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. We have already collected their order and made a state order based on it. But I think we can go back to this issue,” accountable secretary of Ministry of Education and Science Aliya Galimova replied. The draft state budget for 2013-2015 sets aside the total of 53 billion tenge ($353 million) for culture and information. By Renat Tashkinbayev