ASTANA – Kazakhstan has celebrated National Dombra Day on the first Sunday of July since 2018. Dombra, the national musical instrument, embodies the country’s rich history, culture, and spirit of freedom. Its distinctive sound, by turns soothing, joyful, and sorrowful, has captivated audiences worldwide, fueling a revival both at home and abroad. On social platforms, Kazakh and foreign musicians and content creators are helping popularize the dombra through masterful performances, modern interpretations, and unexpected collaborations.
Australian musician Mark Easton during his trip to Almaty. Photo credit: Easton’s personal archieve
One of them is Australian musician Mark Easton, who has embraced the dombra and composed a kui (traditional Kazakh composition) titled “Kazakhstan”, inspired by the country and its people.
“I was a blues and rock musician until 2019. Then someone introduced me to Mongolian heavy metal. I was listening to a band from Mongolia and heard this beautiful instrument in their music. I found out it was the dombra,” Easton told The Astana Times.
Curious to learn more, Easton searched for Kazakh music online and discovered groups such as HasSak ethno-folk group, Ulytau and Turan ethno-folk ensemble.
“Their videos amazed me—the traditional clothes, the energy, the music. It blew my mind. The dombra playing was so fast, it made guitarists look slow, yet the melodies were so intricate,” he said.
He bought his first dombra from Nomad Instruments, an Almaty-based maker on eBay and began learning through online courses from Dombra Academy. Last August, he purchased a second instrument from Qazaq Instruments.
Photo credit: Easton’s personal archieve
“What I love about the dombra is that, unlike a guitar, which relies heavily on chords, the dombra forces you to play melodies with just two strings. It’s a real challenge. You have to unlearn guitar techniques and embrace the unique rules of the dombra,” said Easton.
Recently, Easton also learned to play the tovshuur, a similar string instrument popular in northwestern Mongolia and the Altai region.
“I had never played on tovshuur before, but I recorded a video performance after some crash-course learning,” he said.
Easton has visited Kazakhstan multiple times and said he has been moved by the warmth and generosity of the people. In Almaty, he often performs street music and has met locals eager to share techniques and musical traditions.
Two years ago, he composed “Kazakhstan”, a kui that resonated deeply with local audiences.
“The piece was a tribute to Galamat Beisekozha, an amazing dombra player and composer. Watching him play is like poetry to my ears. I named the song Kazakhstan because it sounded like what I imagined the country to be,” said Easton.
He admitted he didn’t expect the composition to become so popular.
“I included Kazakhstan on my 2023 album Dark Blue and thought it might be the least-played track. But it went viral in Kazakhstan—used in videos by sports federations and content creators across Instagram,” he said.
Easton’s new track “Kokpar”, named after the traditional Kazakh horseback sport, has also gained traction on YouTube.
“Back home in Australia, people mainly listen to blues and rock. But slowly, I am helping them discover Kazakh music,” said Easton.
