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The Energy of “Female” Music: Gender Statistics and Cultural Prerequisites for Gender Equality Among Kazakh Composers

Yıl 2025, , 121 - 157, 30.06.2025

Aizhan Kalibayeva , Valeriya Nedlina , Anton Somov

https://doi.org/10.33906/musicologist.1368755

Öz

Since ancient times, musical and poetic creativity in Turko-Mongolian nomadic cultures – including that of the Kazakhs – has functioned as a relatively gender-inclusive sphere. Kazakh women, alongside men, historically participated in the musical culture as bearers of sacred (baksy), vocal (akyn), epic (zhyrau), and instrumental (kuishi) traditions. This legacy continues to shape contemporary musical culture in Kazakhstan. However, ongoing gender disparities in other areas of socio-political life may still limit the time and opportunities available to women for creative self-realisation. This article examines how the ambivalence between cultural equality and structural inequality has influenced the careers and artistic identities of contemporary Kazakh women composers. Drawing on interviews and case studies, the research explores the extent to which gender influences their compositional style and professional trajectories. Statistical analysis reveals that since the early 20th century, women have accounted for 21.9% of Kazakh composers, a figure significantly higher than the global average. Furthermore, this proportion has grown steadily in recent decades. Importantly, the gender dimension of composition in Kazakhstan has not previously been compared to other cultural contexts. This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach rooted in the humanities, and integrating methods from music history, cultural studies, sociology and gender theory. It also incorporates musical-sociological tools such as statistical, sampling, and graphic analysis. Despite challenges in obtaining comprehensive data, the analysis of sources – including Grove Music Online, The Living Composers Project, Wikipedia, and composer unions in Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, and Turkic-speaking Central Asian countries – reveals Kazakhstan’s distinctive profile in terms of gender representation in composition.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Women composers Music of Kazakhstan Gender and music Female creativity Gender statistics in music

Kaynakça

  • Abdinurov, Alibi; Bazheneeva, Sanija and Toktagan, Ajtolkyn. (2021). “Дина Нурпеисова как представительница женщин-кюйши в казахской музыкальной культуре” (Dina Nurpeisova as a Representative of Women-Kuishi in the Kazakh Musical Culture). In Problems of Oriental Studies. 3: 65-71.
  • Akzhigitova, Nailya; Bayakhunov, Bakir. (2012). Кафедра композиции КНК им. Курмангазы (1944-1994). Очерк (Composition Department of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory (1944-1994). Essay). Almaty: Volkov.
  • Bagysbek, Kuat. (2013). Қазақ композиторлары (Kazakh Composers). Almaty: Bolashak.
  • Briscoe, James R. (1997). A Contemporary Anthology of Music by Women. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
  • Chumbalova, Gulzhaukhar. (1992). “Очерк по истории записи и изучения казахской музыки дореволюционного периода” (Essay on the History of Recording and Studying Kazakh Music of the Pre-Revolutionary Period) Kazakh Music: Traditions and Modernity, Ed. A. Mukhambetova: 11. Аlmaty: Print.
  • Citron, Marcia J. (1993). Gender and the Musical Canon. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Fowler, Jennifer. (2006). “The Proms 2006: Where are the Women” Women in Music. Retrieved from http://www.womeninmusic.org.uk/PROMS06.htm
  • Jumakova, Umitzhan. (2003). Творчество композиторов Казахстана 1920-1980-х годов. Проблемы истории, смысла и ценности. (Creativity of Composers of Kazakhstan in the 1920-1980s. Problems of History, Meaning and Value). Astana: Foliant.
  • Jumaliyeva, Tamara. (2013). Gulzhan Uzenbayeva. Essays on the composers of Kazakhstan, ed. Aizada Nusupova: pp. 442-469. Almaty: Bolashak.
  • Kadyrkulova, Zhajnagul (2017). Гендерные аспекты традиционной культуры тюркского народа в современном обществе (Gender aspects of the traditional culture of the Turkic people in modern society). Materials of the Scientific and Humanitarian Forum ‘Uly Dala’. pp. 762-770. Astana: Galym. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/118561421/Документальность_как_метод_и_формы_смешения
  • Karelina, Yekaterina. (2009). История тувинской музыки от падения династии Цин и до наших дней (The History of Tuvan Music From the Fall of the Qing Dynasty to the Present Day). Moscow: Kompozitor.
  • Kenny, Aisling. (2009). “Integration or Isolation? Considering Implications of the Designation ‘Woman Composer’”, British Postgraduate Musicology. 10: 1-11
  • Ketegenova, Nurgiyan. (2009). Gaziza Zhubanova. Creative portraits of composers of Kazakhstan. Essays (To the 70th anniversary of the Kazakhstan Composers Union). Almaty: Alatau.
  • Kisamedenova, Moldir. (2015). XIX – XXI ғғ. Батыс Қазақстан күйшілік дәстүріндегі қыз-келіншектер күйлерінің музыкалық-стильдік ерекшіліктері (Musical and stylistic features of women's Kui in the West Kazakhstan Kui tradition in 19-21 centuries). Bulletin Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatoire. 4(9): 44-52.
  • Koskoff, Ellen. (2014). A Feminist Ethnomusicology: Writings on Music and Gender. USA: University of Illinois Press.
  • Krachkovskij, Ignatij. (2012). Путешествие Ибн-Фадлана на Волгу (Journey of Ibn-Fadlan to the Volga). Moscow, Leningrad: Izd-vo Akad. nauk USSR.
  • Kundakbayeva, Zhanat. (2017). Модернизация ранней советской эпохи в судьбах женщин Казахстана, 1920-1930 годы (Modernization of the Early Soviet Era in the Fate of Women in Kazakhstan, 1920-1930). Almaty: Al-Farabi KazNU.
  • Kyrgys, Zoya. (2002). Тувинское горловое пение: Этномузыковедческое исследование (Tuva Throat Singing: An Ethnomusicological Study). Novosibirsk: Nauka.
  • Makhkamova, Gulbakhor. (2004). “История развития сценического искусства Таджикистана в 20-60 годы ХХ века: гендерный аспект” (History of the development of the performing arts of Tajikistan in the 20s-60s of the 20th century: the gender aspect), PhD. dissertation., A. Donish Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography. Dushanbe: Tajikistan.
  • McClary, Susan. (1991). Feminine Endings. Minneapolis & London: University of Minnesota Press.
  • Merchant, Tanya. (2015). Women Musicians of Uzbekistan. From Courtyard to Conservatory. USA: University of Illinois Press
  • Moisala, Pirkko. (1999). Musical Gender in Performance, Women & Music. 1. Retrieved from https://scispace.com/papers/musical-gender-in-performance-3mzyo3oo4a
  • Naurzbayeva, Zira. (2010). Архетип женщины-медиатора в традиционной казахской культуре (The archetype of a woman–mediator in traditional Kazakh culture). The eternal sky of the Kazakhs. Ed. Gaukhar Shangitbayeva: pp. 203-212. Almaty: SaGa.
  • Nedlina, Valeria. (2013). Aktoty Raimkulova. Essays on the composers of Kazakhstan, Ed. Aizada Nusupova: pp. 417-441. Almaty: Bolashak.
  • New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.
  • O’Bannon, Richard. (2014). “The 2014-15 Orchestra Season by the Numbers” Website Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved from https://www.bsomusic.org/stories/the -2014-15-orchestra-season-by-the-numbers.aspx.
  • Sergeant, Desmond C., and Himonides, Evangelos. (2016). “Gender and Music Composition: A Study of Music, and the Gendering of Meanings”, Frontiers in Psychology 7. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00411
  • Shubina, Svetlana. (2003). Газиза Жубанова и балет “Карагоз” (Gaziza Zhubanova and ballet ‘Karagoz’). Life in art. Composer Gaziza Zhubanova. Ed. Nurgiyan Ketegenova: pp. 267-273. Almaty: Oner
  • Stasevich, Inga. (2011). Социальный статус женщины у казахов: традиции и современность (The social status of a woman among the Kazakhs: traditions and modernity). Saint Petersburg: Nauka
  • Sultanova, Madina and Zhanerke Shaigozova. (2014). Душевная закалка в казахской культуре (девочка-девушка-женщина-мать) [Mental hardening in Kazakh culture (girl–woman–mother]. Materials of the International Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Argynbaev Readings’. Ed. Galymkayir Mutanov: pp. 343-348. Almaty: Kazakh Universiteti
  • Sultanova, Raziya. (2014). From Shamanism to Sufism: Women, Islam and Culture in Central Asia. London: I.B. Tauris.
  • The Living Composers Project. (2000-2025) A nonprofit database of living composers. (Founded by Daniel Albertson). Retrieved from http://www.composers21.com.
  • Tiesenhausen, Vladimir. (1941). Коллекция материалов, относящихся к истории Золотой Орды (Collection of Materials Relating to the History of the Golden Horde). Moscow, Leningrad: Izd-vo Akad. nauk USSR.
  • Tursunov, Yedige. (1999). Возникновение баксы, акынов, сэри и жырау (The Emergence of Baksy, Akyns, Seri and Zhyrau). Astana: Foliant.
  • Utegalieva, Saule. (2013). Звуковой мир музыки тюркских народов: теория, история, практика (на материале инструментальных традиций Центральной Азии) (The sound world of the Turkic peoples’ music: theory, history, practice (based on the instrumental traditions of Central Asia)). Moscow: Kompozitor.
  • Vasilchenko, Yelena. (2014). “Gender Theme in Musical Cultures of World Civilizations” (Гендерная тема в музыкальных культурах мировых цивилизаций) The Space of Art and Cultural Life 1:49-55.
  • Vlasova, Yelena and Zeyfas, Nikolai. (1996). “USSR – USA: ‘Making Music Together’” (СССР – США: “Делаем музыку вместе”). In Music Academy 7: 5-8.
  • Yelemanova, Saida. (2000). Казахское традиционное песенное искусство (Kazakh traditional song art). Almaty: Dajk-Press.
  • Yerzakovich, Boris. (1979). Музыкальное наследие казахского народа (Musical heritage of the Kazakh people). Alma-Ata: Nauka
  • Zatayevich, Aleksandr. (1925). 1000 песен киргизского народа (1000 songs of the Kyrgyz people). Orenburg: Kirgizskoe gosudarstvennoe izdatel'stvo
  • Zhapekova, Gulfajruz. (2014). “Статус женщины в традиционном казахском обществе” (The status of a woman in traditional Kazakh society). Bulletin Al Farabi KazNU. 1: 78-86.
  • Zhubanov, Akhmet. (1962). “Музыка казахского народа до Великой Октябрьской социалистической революции” (Music of the Kazakh people before the Great October Socialist Revolution). Essays on the history of Kazakh Soviet music. Alma-Ata: Kaz. gos. izd. hud. Lit.,
  • Zhubanova, Gaziza. (1996). Мир мой – Музыка (My World – Music). Almaty: Aksim.

Yıl 2025, , 121 - 157, 30.06.2025

Aizhan Kalibayeva , Valeriya Nedlina , Anton Somov

https://doi.org/10.33906/musicologist.1368755

Öz

Kaynakça

  • Abdinurov, Alibi; Bazheneeva, Sanija and Toktagan, Ajtolkyn. (2021). “Дина Нурпеисова как представительница женщин-кюйши в казахской музыкальной культуре” (Dina Nurpeisova as a Representative of Women-Kuishi in the Kazakh Musical Culture). In Problems of Oriental Studies. 3: 65-71.
  • Akzhigitova, Nailya; Bayakhunov, Bakir. (2012). Кафедра композиции КНК им. Курмангазы (1944-1994). Очерк (Composition Department of the Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory (1944-1994). Essay). Almaty: Volkov.
  • Bagysbek, Kuat. (2013). Қазақ композиторлары (Kazakh Composers). Almaty: Bolashak.
  • Briscoe, James R. (1997). A Contemporary Anthology of Music by Women. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
  • Chumbalova, Gulzhaukhar. (1992). “Очерк по истории записи и изучения казахской музыки дореволюционного периода” (Essay on the History of Recording and Studying Kazakh Music of the Pre-Revolutionary Period) Kazakh Music: Traditions and Modernity, Ed. A. Mukhambetova: 11. Аlmaty: Print.
  • Citron, Marcia J. (1993). Gender and the Musical Canon. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Fowler, Jennifer. (2006). “The Proms 2006: Where are the Women” Women in Music. Retrieved from http://www.womeninmusic.org.uk/PROMS06.htm
  • Jumakova, Umitzhan. (2003). Творчество композиторов Казахстана 1920-1980-х годов. Проблемы истории, смысла и ценности. (Creativity of Composers of Kazakhstan in the 1920-1980s. Problems of History, Meaning and Value). Astana: Foliant.
  • Jumaliyeva, Tamara. (2013). Gulzhan Uzenbayeva. Essays on the composers of Kazakhstan, ed. Aizada Nusupova: pp. 442-469. Almaty: Bolashak.
  • Kadyrkulova, Zhajnagul (2017). Гендерные аспекты традиционной культуры тюркского народа в современном обществе (Gender aspects of the traditional culture of the Turkic people in modern society). Materials of the Scientific and Humanitarian Forum ‘Uly Dala’. pp. 762-770. Astana: Galym. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/118561421/Документальность_как_метод_и_формы_смешения
  • Karelina, Yekaterina. (2009). История тувинской музыки от падения династии Цин и до наших дней (The History of Tuvan Music From the Fall of the Qing Dynasty to the Present Day). Moscow: Kompozitor.
  • Kenny, Aisling. (2009). “Integration or Isolation? Considering Implications of the Designation ‘Woman Composer’”, British Postgraduate Musicology. 10: 1-11
  • Ketegenova, Nurgiyan. (2009). Gaziza Zhubanova. Creative portraits of composers of Kazakhstan. Essays (To the 70th anniversary of the Kazakhstan Composers Union). Almaty: Alatau.
  • Kisamedenova, Moldir. (2015). XIX – XXI ғғ. Батыс Қазақстан күйшілік дәстүріндегі қыз-келіншектер күйлерінің музыкалық-стильдік ерекшіліктері (Musical and stylistic features of women's Kui in the West Kazakhstan Kui tradition in 19-21 centuries). Bulletin Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatoire. 4(9): 44-52.
  • Koskoff, Ellen. (2014). A Feminist Ethnomusicology: Writings on Music and Gender. USA: University of Illinois Press.
  • Krachkovskij, Ignatij. (2012). Путешествие Ибн-Фадлана на Волгу (Journey of Ibn-Fadlan to the Volga). Moscow, Leningrad: Izd-vo Akad. nauk USSR.
  • Kundakbayeva, Zhanat. (2017). Модернизация ранней советской эпохи в судьбах женщин Казахстана, 1920-1930 годы (Modernization of the Early Soviet Era in the Fate of Women in Kazakhstan, 1920-1930). Almaty: Al-Farabi KazNU.
  • Kyrgys, Zoya. (2002). Тувинское горловое пение: Этномузыковедческое исследование (Tuva Throat Singing: An Ethnomusicological Study). Novosibirsk: Nauka.
  • Makhkamova, Gulbakhor. (2004). “История развития сценического искусства Таджикистана в 20-60 годы ХХ века: гендерный аспект” (History of the development of the performing arts of Tajikistan in the 20s-60s of the 20th century: the gender aspect), PhD. dissertation., A. Donish Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography. Dushanbe: Tajikistan.
  • McClary, Susan. (1991). Feminine Endings. Minneapolis & London: University of Minnesota Press.
  • Merchant, Tanya. (2015). Women Musicians of Uzbekistan. From Courtyard to Conservatory. USA: University of Illinois Press
  • Moisala, Pirkko. (1999). Musical Gender in Performance, Women & Music. 1. Retrieved from https://scispace.com/papers/musical-gender-in-performance-3mzyo3oo4a
  • Naurzbayeva, Zira. (2010). Архетип женщины-медиатора в традиционной казахской культуре (The archetype of a woman–mediator in traditional Kazakh culture). The eternal sky of the Kazakhs. Ed. Gaukhar Shangitbayeva: pp. 203-212. Almaty: SaGa.
  • Nedlina, Valeria. (2013). Aktoty Raimkulova. Essays on the composers of Kazakhstan, Ed. Aizada Nusupova: pp. 417-441. Almaty: Bolashak.
  • New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.
  • O’Bannon, Richard. (2014). “The 2014-15 Orchestra Season by the Numbers” Website Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved from https://www.bsomusic.org/stories/the -2014-15-orchestra-season-by-the-numbers.aspx.
  • Sergeant, Desmond C., and Himonides, Evangelos. (2016). “Gender and Music Composition: A Study of Music, and the Gendering of Meanings”, Frontiers in Psychology 7. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00411
  • Shubina, Svetlana. (2003). Газиза Жубанова и балет “Карагоз” (Gaziza Zhubanova and ballet ‘Karagoz’). Life in art. Composer Gaziza Zhubanova. Ed. Nurgiyan Ketegenova: pp. 267-273. Almaty: Oner
  • Stasevich, Inga. (2011). Социальный статус женщины у казахов: традиции и современность (The social status of a woman among the Kazakhs: traditions and modernity). Saint Petersburg: Nauka
  • Sultanova, Madina and Zhanerke Shaigozova. (2014). Душевная закалка в казахской культуре (девочка-девушка-женщина-мать) [Mental hardening in Kazakh culture (girl–woman–mother]. Materials of the International Scientific and Practical Conference ‘Argynbaev Readings’. Ed. Galymkayir Mutanov: pp. 343-348. Almaty: Kazakh Universiteti
  • Sultanova, Raziya. (2014). From Shamanism to Sufism: Women, Islam and Culture in Central Asia. London: I.B. Tauris.
  • The Living Composers Project. (2000-2025) A nonprofit database of living composers. (Founded by Daniel Albertson). Retrieved from http://www.composers21.com.
  • Tiesenhausen, Vladimir. (1941). Коллекция материалов, относящихся к истории Золотой Орды (Collection of Materials Relating to the History of the Golden Horde). Moscow, Leningrad: Izd-vo Akad. nauk USSR.
  • Tursunov, Yedige. (1999). Возникновение баксы, акынов, сэри и жырау (The Emergence of Baksy, Akyns, Seri and Zhyrau). Astana: Foliant.
  • Utegalieva, Saule. (2013). Звуковой мир музыки тюркских народов: теория, история, практика (на материале инструментальных традиций Центральной Азии) (The sound world of the Turkic peoples’ music: theory, history, practice (based on the instrumental traditions of Central Asia)). Moscow: Kompozitor.
  • Vasilchenko, Yelena. (2014). “Gender Theme in Musical Cultures of World Civilizations” (Гендерная тема в музыкальных культурах мировых цивилизаций) The Space of Art and Cultural Life 1:49-55.
  • Vlasova, Yelena and Zeyfas, Nikolai. (1996). “USSR – USA: ‘Making Music Together’” (СССР – США: “Делаем музыку вместе”). In Music Academy 7: 5-8.
  • Yelemanova, Saida. (2000). Казахское традиционное песенное искусство (Kazakh traditional song art). Almaty: Dajk-Press.
  • Yerzakovich, Boris. (1979). Музыкальное наследие казахского народа (Musical heritage of the Kazakh people). Alma-Ata: Nauka
  • Zatayevich, Aleksandr. (1925). 1000 песен киргизского народа (1000 songs of the Kyrgyz people). Orenburg: Kirgizskoe gosudarstvennoe izdatel'stvo
  • Zhapekova, Gulfajruz. (2014). “Статус женщины в традиционном казахском обществе” (The status of a woman in traditional Kazakh society). Bulletin Al Farabi KazNU. 1: 78-86.
  • Zhubanov, Akhmet. (1962). “Музыка казахского народа до Великой Октябрьской социалистической революции” (Music of the Kazakh people before the Great October Socialist Revolution). Essays on the history of Kazakh Soviet music. Alma-Ata: Kaz. gos. izd. hud. Lit.,
  • Zhubanova, Gaziza. (1996). Мир мой – Музыка (My World – Music). Almaty: Aksim.
Toplam 43 adet kaynakça vardır.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil İngilizce
Konular Müzikoloji ve Etnomüzikoloji
Bölüm Makaleler
Yazarlar

Aizhan Kalibayeva 0000-0002-8021-496X

Valeriya Nedlina 0000-0002-4200-5702

Anton Somov 0009-0000-2444-2813

Yayımlanma Tarihi 30 Haziran 2025
Yayımlandığı Sayı Yıl 2025

Kaynak Göster

APA Kalibayeva, A., Nedlina, V., & Somov, A. (2025). The Energy of “Female” Music: Gender Statistics and Cultural Prerequisites for Gender Equality Among Kazakh Composers. Musicologist, 9(1), 121-157. https://doi.org/10.33906/musicologist.1368755