SEITEK ORAZALYULY’S DOMBYRA

kuishi, composer

Master craftsman: Zhanpeiyil Seitak

Kuyshi and composer Seitek Orazalyuly, the founder of the Kazakh tokpe kuy tradition, was born in 1861 in the Saralzhyn area of what is now Orda District, West Kazakhstan Region. He lost his father at the age of five and was raised by his relative Shosak. He first learned to play the dombra from his elder brother Sultangali and from talented musicians who were disciples of Dauletkerey, including Alikey, Makar, Salauatkerey, and Turyp.

In his playing, Seitek introduced to the dombra the principal bass fret used in Turkmen kuy traditions. This fret is still known today as the “Seitek fret.”

Many of Seitek’s küy compositions have become part of the core repertoire of the Kurmangazy Kazakh State Academic Folk Instrument Orchestra.

In 1923, Seitek took part in the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition held in Moscow, where he performed his Toy Bastar kuy.

Seitek also composed songs. His compositions were included in A. Zataevich’s collection 1000 Songs under the title Seitek’s Songs. In general, the renowned music scholar Alexander Zataevich was the first prominent specialist to introduce the cultural community to information about Seitek Orazalyuly and his musical heritage. In his famous collection, published in 1925, Zataevich included the musical notation of the composer’s song entitled Seitek.

Among Seitek’s best-known compositions are Arpalys, Orgytpa, Sharipa, Bes Qyz, Zhantaza, Karashash, Kanatym, and Kokala At. His creative legacy is crowned by the Zaman-ai küy, regarded as one of the finest works of his repertoire.