"Brilliant playing, impeccable technique and remarkable ensemble unity."

Kazakhstanskaya Pravda

Celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, the Kazakh Quartet is Kazakhstan’s foremost chamber music ensemble. Officially named the Gaziza Zhubanova State String Quartet, after the composer who remains its principal artistic inspiration, the ensemble performs internationally under the name Kazakh Quartet.

Its artistic development has been shaped by leading figures of the international chamber music world, including Valentin Berlinsky, founder of the Borodin Quartet, and Rainer Schmidt of the Hagen Quartet. Under Schmidt’s guidance, the ensemble was awarded a scholarship to the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, where it was named ‘Best Ensemble’, before completing advanced training at the Musik-Akademie Basel through the Bolashak International Scholarship Programme.

The Kazakh Quartet has established an international career, performing in major concert halls across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and has released recordings on labels including Russian Seasons and Divox. Its repertoire spans the classical string quartet tradition and contemporary works, alongside innovative projects combining Western classical instruments with traditional Kazakh folk instruments.

Recent highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall, Salle Cortot and the Concertgebouw, as well as collaborations with pianist Ludmila Berlinskaya.

Aidar Toktaliyev - violin
Alexey Lebedev - violin
Bekzat Sailaubaiuly - viola
Yernar Myntayev - cello

The Kazakh Quartet, officially the Gaziza Zhubanova State String Quartet, is Kazakhstan’s leading chamber ensemble and one of the country’s foremost ambassadors of classical music. Resident ensemble of the Erkegali Rakhmadiyev State Academic Philharmonic in Astana, the quartet is led artistically by its permanent cellist, Yernar Myntayev, Honoured Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Founded in 1988 and named after the eminent Kazakh composer Gaziza Zhubanova, the ensemble was granted official State Quartet status in 1995. Its artistic development has been shaped by studies with Valentin Berlinsky of the Borodin Quartet and Rainer Schmidt of the Hagen Quartet, influences that continue to define its musical identity.

A defining artistic milestone was the performance of Beethoven’s complete cycle of sixteen string quartets over two seasons to mark the composer’s 250th anniversary. More recently, the quartet has focused on the string quartets of Béla Bartók while continuing to champion contemporary Kazakh music through commissions and world premieres. In 2019, the ensemble paid tribute to Valentin Berlinsky with a commemorative concert celebrating his lasting influence.

The quartet has received numerous awards at international competitions in Europe and Asia, including the Grand Prix and President’s Cup at Kazakhstan’s Shabyt International Creative Competition. During its studies at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía in Madrid, it was awarded the Diploma for Best Chamber Ensemble by Her Majesty Queen Sofía of Spain.

The Kazakh Quartet performs extensively throughout Kazakhstan and internationally, appearing at leading concert halls and festivals across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Recent highlights include Carnegie Hall in New York, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Salle Cortot in Paris and the Auditorio Nacional de Música in Madrid. Its recordings have been released by Russian Seasons and Divox, and in 2022 the ensemble received Kazakhstan’s inaugural Umai National Award for outstanding achievements in the performing arts.

With a repertoire spanning more than three centuries, the quartet combines the core string quartet repertoire with works by Kazakh composers and innovative cross-cultural projects featuring traditional Kazakh instruments. Its signature production From Classics to Ethno-Jazz exemplifies this artistic vision. Recent collaborations include projects with pianist Ludmila Berlinskaya and Canadian composer and pianist David Braid.

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Video

A.Borodin. String Quartet no.2. Notturno

L.V.Beethoven. String Quartet op.95 “Serioso”

Kazakh Quartet. Joseph Haydn - String Quartet in C Major, Op. 20 No. 2. Live

Kazakh Quartet. ZHYLKYSHY (Жылқышы) - A.Alipekuly. Live