BY KASWAR KLASRA
ISLAMABAD: One of the greatest American athletes Yolanda Gail Devers once said, ” Keep your dreams alive. Understand that to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.”
Gail Devers had said the same for ‘Marat Bisengaliev’ one of the greatest violinists of today’s world.
Marat Bisengaliev, is a Kazakh violinist and conductor of both the Western Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra and The Almaty Symphony Orchestra. He is one of the non standing directors of the Association of Asian Pacific Regional Orchestras. In addition, he is head of the Uralsk International Violin Competition.
Living a peaceful life in France with his wife and two children, Mr Marat is an internationally acclaimed violinist with millions of fans in India, Uae, Europe and America. He receives hundreds and thousands of invitations from across the globe to perform. This most feted contemporary violinist recently performed in South Asia and won the hearts of many.
However, things were not easy in the beginning of his career. Marat had to work hard, show commitment and dedication to his work. He was lucky to learn from the best of teachers of his time, who also nurtured his work.
“As far as I remember myself from my early childhood I always saw my path as a violinist, as a concert violinist on big stage. And even during my Music school Years in Alma- Ata ( USSR Now Almaty Kazakhstan) I never doubted my destiny, although I don’t think I was any better than my classmates at that time. It might sound a bit arrogant but it’s true,” Marat Bisengaliev told ‘ ISLAMABAD TELEGRAPH ‘.
While USSR was engaged in Afghanistan, the celebrity Musician decided to enter the local conservatoire in Almaty as the war in Afghanistan was still raging and there was always a danger that he would end up in the army if he didn’t manage to enter the higher degree institution. Enough to panic him, his thirty- seven friends had died in Afghanistan.
” I was naturally terrified. My dream to get to Moscow conservatoire was put on hold. The Russians withdrew from Afghanistan two years later and I managed to go to Moscow to continue my study.” he said.
Marat was lucky to be accepted by one of the very best professors Boris Belenky in his class who gave him knowledge and positive energy to pursue his dreams
” Under professor Boris I started making real progress in my development. Unfortunately he died suddenly, two years later so I continued with my undergraduate degree with another great professor Valery Klimov.”
While Marat was about to complete his graduation, he met Stina Wilson who was studying with professor Dolzhikov.
” It was a very weird story as we were simply acquaintances at that time and after one of my performances while travelling in the Moscow Metro ( Underground trains) Stina suddenly and unexpectedly asked if I wanted to be her boyfriend. I was so shocked that i somehow said – yes. After one year I was the father of our daughter Aruhan and happily married, living in Leeds where Stina worked in the local orchestra Opera North.
During seven years of happy marriage, Marat’s career as a concert violinist took over and he was signed by a recording company Naxos and played with the best orchestras around the country and around the world.
After seven years of married life, one day his wife Stina left him for good. He was heartbroken, however decided to continue with an amazing and successful journey.
“Sadly Stina disappeared from my life as unexpected as her introduction to my life, finding new love and new family. It was a really testing time for me as I was still a foreigner with the majority of mutual friends also disappearing like the snow in May. Nevertheless it was a very productive time as i managed to record one of my most successful albums during this time, including Elgar rediscovered, ” Marat told us.
After a while he met with a French girl Vassilia with whom he lives now in the South of France with two half French, and half Kazakh kids. After teaching in Birmingham conservatoire for three years Marat felt that teaching was not the best for him.
“ I decided to establish an orchestra in Kazakhstan, Uralsk- The West Kazakhstan Philharmonic Orchestra which was a successful project from 2003 till 2010. It was abruptly axed by the new governor of the district. Shortly after that I was offered by Almaty mayor to establish the Almaty Symphony Orchestra for which I worked from 2012 till 2019. It was also a really rewarding experience culminating in great shows on expo” Energy of Sound ” , and later ” Mr Adam,” he said.
They were pioneering shows with the use of latest technology. Black track lasers, holograms, flying musicians with VR glasses to read the music.Apart from work with those Kazakh orchestras Marat had an active solo career and as a music specialist consultant to various countries including UAE and other regional countries.
Years of hardwork, dedication and commitment finally yielded fruit. The celebrity musician is an internationally acclaimed violinist. He has millions of followers across five continents.
Marat is also a proud father.
“My daughter Aruhan is a successful English actress and I do have alot of Pakistani friends through my life near Bradford, Leeds and Birmingham. Right now Im enjoying my time with the family and like many musicians, have to wait when things get back to normal, ” he said.
“Meanwhile I practice some new repertoire and discovering the new way to make a landscape art on my fields with the tractor, lawn mowing some shapes and pictures which can be seen from the heights ( I include a drone picture of the 200×200 meter field which I made from the 400 meters height. You can see a small black dot below the eye which is me