TURAN ethno-folk ensemble, over 17 years of creative work, has evolved into a unique phenomenon influencing not only culture but also other artistic fields. This impact is documented in various scholarly and analytical works.
The ensemble’s music has served as soundtracks in theatrical productions and internationally recognized series such as Diriliş: Ertuğrul, İsimsizler, and Mendirman Jaloliddin. It also inspired the development of a new choreographic style, neo-ballet, as seen in the ballets “Turan Dala – Qyran Dala” (2012, Anvara Sadıkova) and “Kozy Korpesh – Bayan Sulu” (2021, Georgy Kovtun).
TURAN uniquely combined a symphony orchestra, chamber ensemble, and folk group on one stage, producing complex musical forms. Examples include symphonic poems by A. Raimkulova like The Secret of the Steppe, Ancient Turan, Jamila, and chamber pieces Bridge of Times and Crossroads.
The group revived ancient instruments and innovated new ones like a modern version of the kuntyak. Its members now master over 55 Turkic instruments, strengthening cultural ties among fraternal nations.
TURAN has performed over 3000 concerts in 122 cities across 80 countries, helping to promote Turkic culture globally and enhance cultural diplomacy. Their lecture-concerts foster youth interest in native heritage.
Through TURAN’s influence, foreign students learn Kazakh and traditional instruments, while Kazakh youth are rediscovering folk arts, leading to the rise of thousands of new ensembles. Their piece ER TURAN is now part of young dombra players’ repertoire.
The TURAN phenomenon is a subject of academic study:
Megan Rancier (USA) – cosmopolitanism and tradition,
Caroline Kuo (Taiwan) – Central Asian music,
Süleyman Aydın (Turkey) – Turkic world context,
Violetta Yunusova (Russia) – Turkic musical motifs,
Anar Kasymova (Kazakhstan) – cultural “soft power”.
These studies were consolidated at the 2025 international scientific conference in Astana titled TURAN Ensemble – A Phenomenon in Turkic Musical Culture, affirming TURAN’s global artistic relevance.
TURAN’s work is a beacon of intercultural dialogue, scholarly inquiry, and generational continuity. It has become a spiritual treasure of the Turkic world, bridging ancient tradition and modern civilization.
