The West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra was formed following an initiative by the Regional Governor of western Kazakhstan, Krymbek E. Kusherbayev. His intention was to create the first symphony orchestra in the West Kazakhstan region specifically for the annual Uralsk International Violin Competition. He approached the internationally renowned Kazakh violinist, Marat Bisengaliev, to help form the orchestra and to give his time and expertise in order to establish this group as one of the flagship cultural organizations of the Kazakh Republic. As Founder and Artistic Director of the orchestra, Marat Bisengaliev prepared the orchestra’s first performance in May 2003. Following several concerts in the region, the West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra toured outside Kazakhstan to England, Russia, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Japan, India and Kyrgyzstan. The orchestra’s recordings include Karl Jenkins’s Requiem and Tlep, as well as music by Schnittke and Mysliveček.

Photo courtesy of NCPA Mumbai