An important cultural event was the exhibition “Musical instruments of the Tatars: Past, Present and Future”, which took place in “Korston-Kazan” on December 8, at the forum “Business partners of Tatarstan”. The exhibition was attended by distinguished guests, first of all – the President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov.

Arrangements with the support of the Ministry of Culture were carried out by the Republican center of traditional culture. The working group included Fanzilya Zavgarova, Elmira Kayumova (scientific supervisor), Gulnaz Gilemyanova. The idea of the necessity to show business elite the wealth and diversity of the Tatar traditional instruments belongs to Rinat Zakirov. The Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars also assumed financial costs.

The exhibits from private collections of scholars and musicians were gathered at this exhibition, and

therefore many of them were exhibited for the first time. Their precious “trophies” provided: Ragde Khalitov, Gennady Makarov, Elmira Kayumova, Rashid Mustafin, Rinat Gilyazov, Damir Gabdrakhmanov. A special stand was dedicated to original harmonics, made by masters of the Samara region.

Each of the exhibits is unique. For example, balchyk nai – a clay whistle, found in 1976 during archaeological excavations in the Kazan Kremlin (presumably – XII in.). Kuchnay – multi-barreled flute, the ethnic variety of the Pan Flute. In the section of multistring struck instruments double gusli singled out. They were found during the expedition in 2015 in Mari El. I would also like to note dombra of Astrakhan Tatars with catgut strings.

Along with authentic samples reconstructed instruments (so-called replica) were presented.

Visitors were able to not only get acquainted with the appearance of the Tatar folk instruments, but also to hear their sound.

A natural complement became artwork by local artists, reinforcing the impression of antiquity and spirituality. Author of design solutions – Ramziya Kashapova.

The event was held to draw attention to the problem of preservation of folk instrumental art, not to interrupt the thread of tradition. Not by chance the phrase by the Tatar writer Fatykh Khusni: “The broken string breaks a song …” (“Ozelgyan kyldan ozek zhyr chyga …”) became the motto of the exhibition.

Elmira Kayumova

Photos of Gulnara Sagieva.