Country Profile
Population: 5.1 million
A country of striking beauty and towering peaks, Kyrgyzstan became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
While Kyrgyzstan does possess oil and gas resources, it imports the vast bulk of what it needs. The economic situation is dire, particularly in the south where unemployment is very high and poverty rife.
MusAid Project Outline:
The National Conservatory of Kyrgyzstan
In 1991, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Kyrgyzstan – one of the smallest and poorest Republics in the USSR– was abruptly given independence. As part of the traumatic transition that followed, all social subsidies from the USSR ceased, including the subsidies for music and the arts. Consequently the National Conservatory has not received any new printed music or funding for over fifteen years, leaving the 360 students and professionals with few and declining resources as well as enrollment.
- Wind players use one reed for an entire year or longer, string players play missing entire strings, and on a salary of $20.00 per month, professional musicians cannot afford to buy heavily taxed, high priced equipment and music from their wealthier neighboring countries.
- String sections in the National orchestra are missing many players due to lack of strings and instruments.
- Nearly all students and professionals have to pay a monthly fee to rent inadequate instruments in barely playable condition.
The lack of equipment for every art form has severely limited the full potential of the National Conservatory, but with only a small amount of added financial support, the conservatory could flourish and grow in astonishing ways.
Priority Items needed for the Conservatory:
Please help the Kyrgyz National Conservatory of music by looking at the various methods of contribution on our Donate page.
Needs:
Instruments: Clarinets, Flutes, Oboes, Bassoons, Violins
Cane: Reeds for Clarinet, Bassoon and Oboe
Strings: For ALL instruments
Miscellaneous:
- Replacement Pads for Clarinet/Flute
- Clarinet Mouthpieces
- Strings for Piano (Upright/Grand)
- Clarinet Springs
Printed Music: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced – All kinds Orchestral music is high priority
Map:
