THE STUDY OF THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSICAL HERITAGE OF THE KAZAKHS OF XINJIANG

The centuries-long shared historical and cultural development of Turkic-speaking peoples testifies to the unity of their spiritual heritage. Although the ethnic identity of the Kazakh people was fully formed in the 15th century, cultural elements prior to this period evolved within the framework of tribal and clan-based art. The ethnic community of Turkic-speaking tribes that inhabited the territory from the Syr Darya valley to the Altai Mountains, and from the southern Urals to Zhetysu in the 14th–15th centuries, largely determined the ethnic composition of the Kazakhs of Xinjiang. The spiritual heritage of these peoples, including instrumental music, is closely tied to the nomadic way of life and played a significant role in shaping the cultural unity and national identity of the ethnic group. This scholarly article explores the instrumental musical heritage of the Kazakhs of Xinjiang within a historical and cultural context. The objective of the study is to systematically examine the artistic and performance features of the dombra and sybyzgy traditions in the region, to analyze the role of historical figures, and to identify the formation of regional performance schools, thereby clarifying the significance of this heritage within the musicology of both the Turkic world and Kazakhstan. The research employs historical-typological, comparative-theoretical, and ethnophonic analytical methods, along with a comprehensive methodological approach. The instrumental music of the Kazakhs of Xinjiang was analyzed based on both notated and audio materials, revealing structural features of dombra pieces (kyuis) and differences in tonal and modal organization. As a result of the study, the regional performance traditions, the artistic styles of prominent historical figures, and the historical and cultural development of the region’s instrumental music were scientifically examined.