Today, a round table dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the outstanding Kazakh composer, victim of political repression, and historical figure Qapez Baigabyluly was held at Abai University. Renowned art scholars, historians, and literary researchers took part in the meeting titled “The Reflection of the Nation’s Fate in the Wind of History,” which focused on the tragic fate of the Kazakh intelligentsia during the years of political repression.

May 31 – is the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repression in our country. It is a day devoted to honoring prominent figures who endured tragic destinies during difficult periods of history and to promoting their socio-political, cultural, and educational activities. During the round table organized on the occasion of the 130th anniversary of Qapez Baigabyluly, the figure’s legacy was assessed, and an important resolution defining the directions of future research was adopted.

Opening the meeting with welcoming remarks, Dean of the Faculty of History and Law Gabit Kenzhebayev spoke about the composer’s exemplary deeds preserved in the memory of the people and emphasized the importance of honoring the figure’s name in modern society. Continuing this idea, Candidate of Historical Sciences Zhomart Simtikov noted that studying the composer’s creative identity and unique talent is one of the main foundations for the modernization of public consciousness today.

The public figure’s life path was closely connected not only with art but also with the struggle for national freedom. Historian Turganzhan Tolebayev, speaking about the blank spots of the past, deeply addressed the intellectual contributions of the political figure. He presented concrete evidence of Qapez Baigabyluly’s educational mission among the people and identified his role in preserving national culture.

In his report, art scholar Sagatbek Medeubekuly drew attention to still-unexplored aspects of the composer’s work. The scholar emphasized the need for a fundamental study of the figure’s poetic side as an independent scientific direction and separate field.

During the meeting, new facts were presented with the aim of deepening the scientific study of the composer’s творчество. In particular, historian and scholar Rashid Oraz analyzed family archives related to the composer’s life and presented both official and unofficial sources. In addition, textologist Nurzhuma Elesbay shared valuable information found in the manuscript collection of the M. Auezov Institute of Literature and Art. He scientifically proved that the composer documented and preserved the works of many folk singers of his era.

During the scientific discussion, Bagylan Babizhan analyzed the theoretical nuances and textual structure of the composer’s songs, while Akaidar Kurmanbek presented artifacts discovered in the archives of Istanbul and Ankara.

The valuable information and scientific discoveries voiced during the meaningful event will not remain merely as reports. Based on the resolution adopted within the framework of the round table, future work will focus on systematizing the heritage of Qapez Baigabyluly and publishing separate collections of new materials from Turkish and domestic archives, family documents, and musical manuscripts.

“Abai University” Media Center