Today is the birthday of Shamshi Kaldayakov, known as the “king of the Kazakh waltz”, “song man”

The composer, whose name is significant in the culture of our people, was born in August 1930 in the Otyrar district of the South Kazakhstan region.

The main theme of Shamshi's works is love for the country, Motherland, parents, spouse, fellow citizens. His songs were written by such talented Kazakh poets as Mukhtar Shakhanov, Sabyrkhan Asanov, Kadyr Myrza Ali, Zhumeken Nazhimedenov, Nursultan Alimkulov, Tolegen Aibergenov, Zakir Shukirov, Tumanbai Moldagaliev, Gafu Kaiyrbekov. The songs "Ak erke - Ak Zhaiyk", "Arys Zhagasend", "Syr Sului", "Teriskey", "Karkaraly", "Omir Rukh" by the composer, who combines the beautiful places of the Ulyn steppe in his songs, have won the hearts of many. Cheerfully sung songs "Bakyt kushagyna", "Otyrardai toy", "Barinen de sen sulu" are widely distributed among the people and decorate weddings and gatherings. Especially in the 1960s and 1970s, Shamshi's popularity increased, and he was popularly called "the king of the Kazakh waltz".

The work “My Kazakhstan” about patriotism and patriotism was especially popular among the people. In 1986, participants in the December uprising sang Shamshi's song as a slogan in Almaty squares and streets. In 2005, the song "My Kazakhstan" was officially approved as the National Anthem of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Shamshi Kaldayakov says about this: “At that time, Akmola was called Tselinograd, and five regions were to be turned into one region and transferred to Russia. Shortly before this, three real Kazakh regions of South Kazakhstan were transferred to Uzbekistan. When the Kazakh land was about to be divided, I felt the need for a hymn that would sing of its greatness. This is how “My Kazakhstan” was born. The poem was written by Zhumeken Nazhimedenov. Jamal Omarova recorded the song on the radio, and at our request it was broadcast several times a day. It was my opposition to the dismemberment of the sacred Kazakh land.” Shamshi Kaldayakov died on February 29, 1992 at the age of 62 after a long illness. He left behind more than 300 wealthy legacies.

Since 1992, the Kaldayakov International Competition-Festival for musicians and singers has been held in honor of the composer. The regional philharmonic society in the city of Shymkent, one street in the city of Almaty, a music school in the village of Shauldyr, where the composer was born, are named after Kaldayakov.

In 1991, a documentary television film about Shamshi "My Years, My Songs" was filmed (Director T. Akhmetov), a collection of memoirs and articles "Shamshigumyr" was published. In 2017, the channel "Khabar" presented the series "An Aga" about Shamshi Kaldayakov. This work, which tells about the life of the composer, is liked by many and is overwritten on the screen from time to time. In 2020, on the eve of the 90th anniversary of Shamshi Kaldayakov, the first museum in Kazakhstan dedicated to the composer was opened in the Otyrar district of the Turkestan region.

Author: Igor Toporkov

Photo: from the archive of the press service