FUSAO KAJIMA (Japan)

The conductor of the III round of the VII Almaty International Piano Competition

“Kajima touches the minds and hearts of audiences,” once the Chicago Tribune hailed him. A conductor, Fusao Kajima has been winning critical acclaim for his leadership in both artistic commitment and innovative program offerings. Maestro Kajima’s prestige and experience now span the globe. He иллюстраторлары • Иллюстраторы • Illustrators 38 Almaty International Piano Competition has conducted throughout Europe, Asia, and the United States, including the symphony orchestras of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg State in Russia, Vancouver Island in Canada, Shinsei Nihon in Japan, National Taiwan and Taipei Metropolitan, Evergreen (Taiwan), Pescara in Italy, Malaga in Spain, Arkansas in the United States, and orchestras of Belgrade Philharmonic in Serbia, Robert Schumann Philharmonie, Nordost Deutsche Philharmonie in Germany, the Academic Philharmonic of Trento, Italy, David Oistrakh Music Festival Orchestra in Estonia, the Bombay Chamber in India. Maestro Kajima has received high honors at some of the most prestigious international conducting competitions in the world, including “Antonio Pedrotti”, “Masterplayers”, and Austrian Broadcasting Corporation Young Conductors’s Prize Competition. Currently he is the Director of Orchestra at Taipei National University of the Arts. Previously, he has held positions of Music Director of Bellevue Philharmonic (WA), Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra (CO), Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra (IL), the Papagena Opera Company (MI), Permanent Conductor of National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Conductor of the Greater Lansing Symphony Orchestra (MI), Freiburger Theater, Staatstheater Darmstadt (Germany), and the Opera Company of Mid-Michigan. He has held academic position with Northern Illinois University and Georgia State University. A native of Japan, Fusao Kajima began his piano studies at age four and his conducting studies at fourteen. An alumnus of the New England Conservatory and the University of Michigan, his teachers include Gustav Meier, Martin Katz, Veronica Jochum, and Louis Krasner. Kajima has studied at Tanglewood with Leonard Bernstein, Seiji Ozawa, and Leonard Slatkin, at Chigiana with Gennady Rodhestvensky, and also in Estonia with Neeme Jarvi and Jorma Panula. 

STATE ACADEMIC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

Is the first symphonic collective in Kazakhstan. It became the first performer of the symphonic pieces of the West-European, Russian, Soviet and Kazakh composers. The orchestra was always conducted by highly professional musicians such as F. Mansurov, V. Yakovlev, G. Dugashev, S. Kazhgaliev, I. Ostrovskiy, T. Mynbaev and R. Salavatov. For a long time it was headed by Tolepbergen Abdrashev, the People’s artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The precise decision of art problems, bright emotionality and virtuosity of performance are inherent in a creative manner of the orchestra. Being one of the leading troupes in Kazakhstan, the State Academic Symphony Orchestra (SASO) gives concerts across Kazakhstan and abroad, cooperating with such musicians as Andrei Gavrilov, Natalia Trul, Denis Matsuev (piano), Denis Shapovalov (cello), Graf Murzha (violin), Alexei Mochalov (bass), Oksana Lesnichaya (soprano) and many others. By the long period SASO was headed by well-known conductor and pianist Vag Papyan (Israel). Since 2013 the director of the Orchestra is the Honorary Artist of Russian Federation, People's artist of the Republic of Tatarstan Renat Salavatov. Since October 2015 the Orchestra is lead by Kanat Omarov — winner of international competitions, alumna of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.

GULZHAN UZENBAEVA (Kazakhstan)

Composer, pianist, winner of the I Prize of the Open Chamber Music Competition LG, a member of the Composers' Union of RK, soloist of the Zhambyl Kazakh State Philharmonic, winner of the State grant of RK for the creation of socially important works, an assistant professor of piano in Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. G. Uzenbaeva successfully performs as a soloist and chamber musician. As part of the philharmonic trio ensemble with remarkable Honored artists of Kazakhstan – Aida Ayupova and winners of international competitions – Ermek Kurmanaev. She actively performs both in Kazakhstan and abroad. Among G. Uzenbaevoy creative partners – there are world-famous musicians. There are – cellist Denis Shapovalov (Russia), flutist Nikolai Popov (Russia), tenor Zurab Zurabishvili (Austria), conductors Vag Papian (Israel), Gustav Mack (Austria), as well as such renowned ensembles as the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Kazakhstan, State Chamber Ensemble “Camerata Kazakhstan”, State Orchestra “Academy of Soloists” G. Zhubanovoy State Quartet and other.

GULNARA KURAMBAEVA (Kazakhstan)

She graduated the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory and post-graduate studies (class of Professor J. A. Aubakirova). At this moment she is an Associate Professor of “Piano” in Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory. She maintains an active concert and teaching activities in the country and abroad. Regularly makes master classes in all regions of Kazakhstan. Each year, participating in the work of juries in different competitions. She have trained more than 20 laureates and winners of international competitions held in cities such as Novosibirsk, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Astana, Almaty, Druskininkai, Visaginas, Hamburg. In 2015, together with the Radio “Classic” has released a CD-ROM devoted to the 70th anniversary of the Kazakh National Conservatory. It includes works by W. A. Mozart and F. Chopin. 

BOTAGOZ AYGALKAEVA (Kazakhstan)

Winner of the Ch Nurymov International Competition. (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan). B. Aygalkaeva has teaching in the department of “Piano” since 1992. Gives master classes in the framework of national and international festivals. B. Aygalkaeva students – winners of international and national competitions. Actively involved in the jury of national competitions. B. Aygalkaeva gives concerts in Kazakhstan, and participates in international projects of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory.