Opening Concert
FUTURE NOW – Central Asia

Aibol Yerlik, Dombyra
Aibol Yerlik (*2001) was born in China and moved to Kazakhstan at the age of 7. He comes from a very musical family and came into contact with various instruments and singing at an early age. After graduating from music school, he entered the Kazakh National University of Arts, where he is currently studying the Kazakh national instrument Dombra and developing his musical skills. He is also active in the orchestra of the Ministry of Defence.

Zhaniya Yestaikyzy, Kobyz
Zhaniya Yestaiqyzq (* 2002) was born into a musical family and started dancing as a child.  When she was invited to the music academy in 2016, she enrolled for the kobyz instrument. She is currently a second-year student at the Kazakh National University of Arts and is a member of the presidential orchestra. She has also taken part in numerous music competitions in recent years.

Beknur Abdizhali, Sherter
Beknur Abdizhali (*2006) began taking music lessons as a child and quickly discovered his talent and passion for music and the dombra instrument in particular. He is currently in his 4th year at Dombra College. At the same time, he works at the State Academic Philharmonic Society, which is named after Erkegali Rakhmadiyev.

At the concert, the musicians will also be playing the instruments sybyzgy, sazsyrnai, shankobiz, dangyra and su sildir.

Image © Kazakh National University of the Arts

Birimkulov Dastan, Komuz, Choor, Sybygy, Ooz-Komuz, Arrangement
Birimkulov Dastan (*1997) plays the komuz and wind instruments and is also active as an arranger. After graduating from school, he completed the preparatory course at the Kyrgyz National Conservatory in the Department of Traditional Kyrgyz Music and Folklore, where he specialised in folk instruments. In 2017, he began his main studies at the Kyrgyz National Conservatory in the Department of Folk Instruments, where he specialised in choor, sybyzgy and ooz-komuz. Since 2018, he has regularly participated in national and international music projects and competitions.

Munayimov Erkhan, Violin
Munayimov Erkhan (*2003) began his musical career at the age of 6 and took violin lessons at various music institutes during his school years. In 2021, he began studying violin at the Kyrgyz National Conservatory in the string instrument department. Since 2019, he has regularly participated in national and international competitions and festivals. In 2021, 2022 and 2023 he played as a soloist with the Presidential Chamber Orchestra ‘Manas’. In 2024 he performed in Dubai as part of the Eurasian Symphony Orchestra at the International Music Festival InClassica in Dubai.

Anarbekova Sezim, Violoncello
Sezim Anarbekova (*2002) began her musical career at the age of 8 and was taught at a music boarding school, where she attended the cello class. Since 2021 she has been attending the Kyrgyz National Conservatory in the string instrument department. In recent years, she has taken part in various national and international music competitions and festivals. In 2024 she performed as a soloist with the Eurasian Symphony Orchestra at the International Music Festival InClassica in Dubai.

Images ©  private

Toshev Idibek, Rubab
Idibek Toshev (*2002) studied at the Department of National Instruments of the Tajik National Conservatory from 2020 to 2024. Through his uncle, who was a musician and conductor of the National Instrument Orchestra, he discovered his enthusiasm for music as a child. Therefore, he attended the special boarding school for art at the age of 7, from which he graduated with honours in 2020. He won several school competitions and took part in national and international music competitions.

Hasanov Jovidon, Gidjak
Hasanov Jovidon (*2003) learnt to play the folk instruments tablak and doira as a child. At the age of 13, he began taking gidjak lessons at the national specialised music school and is currently continuing his music studies at the Tajik National Conservatory. He has taken part in a number of national and international competitions.

Zohidova Guljamol, Qonun
Zohidova Guljamol (*2001) is in her second year at the Tajik National Conservatory. She has been interested in music since childhood, but only began studying music at the age of 16. She regularly takes part in national and international music competitions. In 2021 she won the competition ‘Tajikistan – my homeland’, in 2024 she won 1st place in the international competition ‘Navruz Sadolari’ in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent.

Images ©  private

Atanyazov Seyran, Violin
Atanyazov Seyran (*2004) is a student at the National Conservatory of Turkmenistan. In his first year he won first prize in the conservatory competition. In his second year, he won second prize at the Delphic Youth Games, an art and music competition organised by the CIS states, and first prize in the conservatory’s chamber music competition.

Bashimov Kovus, Viola
Bashimov Kovus, (*2002), is a student at the National Conservatory of Turkmenistan. In his first year he won first prize in the conservatory’s chamber music competition, and in his second year he won second prize in the competition to mark the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani composer F. Amirov.

Babagulyyev Ahmet, Cello
Babagulyyev Ahmet (*2004) is a student of the National Conservatory of Turkmenistan. In 2022 he won the International Alemdar Karamanov Competition. In his second year of study, he won first prize in the conservatory’s chamber music competition.

Image ©  Turkmen National Conservatory named after M. Kuliyeva

Xojiakbar Ruzimetov, Voice and Tor
Xojiakbar Ruzimetov (*2000) is in his 4th year of vocal studies at the National Institute of Pop Art, named after Botir Zakirov, in Tashkent. He has become known to the general public for his songs in the modern estrada genre.

Bexruz Yunusov, Voice and Piano
Bexruz Yunusov (*2004) is in his 3rd year of vocal studies at the National Institute of Pop Art, named after Botir Zakirov, in Tashkent.

Shoxrux Ergashev, Voice and Tanbur
Shoxrux Ergashev (*2000) is studying singing at the State Conservatory in Uzbekistan.

Images ©  private

Laris *Lara Bäucker, Soprano
Laris *Lara Bäucker creates, organises and performs in the field of contemporary music theatre and performance art. They study composition at the Berlin University of the Arts with Mathias Hinke and studied in Zurich with Isabell Mundry. Recent productions include So Schön at Schauspielhaus Zürich (2023), Polypulse at C-Lab in Taipei (2023), Mussage in Berlin (2024) and the composition in caeco macula in Linz (2024). The central theme of their artistic practice is the exploration of interpersonal, spatial and intrapersonal encounters with the aim of generating political resonance through art and strengthening life-friendly attitudes.
Laris Bäucker © Ya Ting

Noah Damm, Tenor
Noah Damm is a young conductor, singer and director from Berlin. His focus in music is on interdisciplinary rehearsal work with a fusion of disciplines. During his conducting studies in Weimar, he realised various opera projects and world premieres of his own compositions taking on various roles as musical director, director and actor.  Since 2023, he has worked regularly with Claus Guth, with whom he has collaborated for  several productions as a trainee director, répétiteur and stage manager, including at the Opéra Bastille Paris, the Vienna State Opera and the Berlin State Opera. In addition to independent opera projects, he is currently focussing on the development of new concert formats.
Noah Damm © privat

Malina Höfflin, Mezzosoprano
The mezzo-soprano Malina Höfflin has been studying singing and music theatre at the Berlin University of the Arts since April 2021, first with Prof. Dr Hulcup and currently with Prof. Pesendorfer. She gained stage experience at a young age in various musical productions, including at the Junges Theater Freiburg. In 2020, she took on the role of assistant director for the musical The Three Musketeers at the Freiburg University of Education alongside her music education studies at the Freiburg University of Music. In July 2023, Malina Höfflin appeared as L’Ecureuil in Maurice Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges at the Berlin University of the Arts. As a singer and music educator, she was part of the production Stabat Mater, a collaboration between Junges RambaZamba and Junge Deutsche Oper Berlin. She is currently singing in the extra chorus of the Deutsche Oper in Ottorino Respighi’s La Fiamma. She regularly performs as a soloist in masses, cantatas and oratorios. Interdisciplinarity, curiosity and a great enthusiasm for the phenomenon of the voice characterise her artistic path.
Malina Höfflin © Zebu Kluth

Mathias Hinke, born in Mexico City in 1973, is known for his remarkable versatility as a composer, teacher and thinker. He studied composition at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, art history and musicology at the Humboldt University and physics at the Free University of Berlin, and earned a teaching diploma in art at the University of Cambridge. He is a member of the Querklang management team and holds a guest professorship in the Department of Experimental Music at the Berlin University of the Arts. His diverse activities include keynotes on experimental composition at international institutions and collaborations with renowned artists and directors. Mathias Hinke’s works have been performed by major orchestras worldwide. He is recognised internationally for his musical outreach projects that reach people with no prior musical training.

Mathias Hinke will lead the academy phase with the musicians.

Image © private