Award-Winning Musician/Composer Dana Zulpykhar Brings Rousing Kazakh music to the World Stage
This young Kazakh musical artist needs to be seen and heard.
As a composer and multi-instrumental musician, Dana Zulpykhar has performed or worked on all sorts of musical projects, including: performing live concerts at Boston Symphony Hall and Agganis Arena; she’s been a concertmaster and session musician; composed for an award-winning and national Samsung commercial; worked on award-winning feature films (like Zere) and also music videos; and, among many other music scenarios, she’s been a featured singer/songwriter for Latin Grammy-winning Noel Schajris’ “Yo te quiero para mi.”
But, to view and listen to a fuller extent of her talent, go ahead and Google Dana Zulpykhar or check her out on her YouTube channel, because what you’ll find is her mind-boggling virtuosity and command on an array of instruments, such as: singing her original music as well as covers of hitmakers like Dua Lipa and Billie Eilish; playing acoustic guitar, neo-soul on lead electric guitar and slap bass; showing her frenetic dexterity on the classic two-stringed dombyra instrument interspersed with playing on violin; she’s had her music like “The Great Steppe” conducted with an orchestra at the legendary Power Station at BerkleeNYC, a recording studio in Manhattan and site of hundreds of gold, platinum, and Grammy Award-winning recordings; while she herself has conducted and played her original “The Nomad” (Kazakh folk music tune) with an orchestra; and, she can also be seen dropping groovy beats using a Maschine Mk3, drum machine/sampler.
Her performance video clips are just jaw-dropping.
Indeed, the Kazakh-born artist started playing violin at age five and piano at age six. She quips, “Early on, my whole life was going to school, coming back home, doing music, practicing, writing, listening. I would spend all my time in a closet trying to record my music, which is quite fun to remember. In time, I studied singing, which led to songwriting, arranging, music production, composing and learning all the different instruments like the guitar, bass guitar, dombyra/dombra, keys, and viola. Currently, I am exploring other Kazakh instruments such as the kobyz, sherter and saz syrnai.”
Along the way, she earned a Bachelor of Music in Screen Scoring from Berklee College of Music in Boston, adding, “I learned many invaluable skills at Berklee that I still apply today. I’ve spent numerous hours in studios learning how to work in studio environments both as a conductor/composer leading a session as well as a musician playing on recording sessions.”
And, she gets increasingly noticed by film producers and directors.
“Music played a huge role in my film, Zere. Dana is a genius without whom the film would not have turned out the way it did. When I first heard Dana’s composition, I realized this was exactly how I wanted to hear the world through music. The way she hears it is amazing. Unlike others, musicians have only seven notes and often just one musical instrument. But I liked Dana as a multi-instrumentalist because she plays guitar, bass, keyboards, violin, dombra, and viola. If I were a musician, I would want to be like her.”— ‘Zere’ director Dauren Kamshibaev
After recently scoring on four feature films, in the next few months, Dana will also be scoring another feature film for the biggest production company in Kazakhstan called “Kazakhfilm.” In addition, she’s already working on her own albums of instrumental music and songs, and over the next few months, she has other AAA video game projects planned on which she’ll be recording a range of instruments, such as the violin, dombyra, and kobyz.
Dana Zulpykhar talks about her pride in playing on traditional Kazakh instruments like the dombyra, about her strengths as a multi-instrumentalist and composer, and what she has brought to some of her major projects to date.
— Generally, what are your strengths, what do you bring to the table for films/TV, commercials, and compositions?
— Sincerity and musicality are two of my strongest suits, and the story is what matters most to me. I lose myself in it, making sure that every note is used to complement and improve it, rather than calling attention to my music itself. It’s always about bringing the characters’ subtleties and feelings to life through the music, not about showing off my skills. This sensibility and musicianship help me write music that blends in perfectly with the storyline visually, enhancing each scene’s emotional effect. My aim is always to improve the audience’s experience and elicit a visceral reaction.
— How does your multi-instrumental ability increase your value to clients?
— I believe my ability to pick up and play a variety of instruments quickly is another important skill. It enables me to give my works a more intimate and sincere performance. I can customize the music to really connect with the audience and authentically and truly capture each moment. Being able to transition between instruments lets me experiment with a wide variety of musical styles and genres in my songs, from electronic music to symphonic arrangements. This adaptability guarantees that every composition is specially adapted to the demands of the project.
— When you play the dombyra, what do you feel?
— I can never quite put into words the feeling I have when I play the dombyra and traditional Kazakh music. It’s a deep bond with my home, respect for my ancestors, and an immense feeling of pride and gratefulness for the privilege of serving my nation. I stand in honor of our predecessors who gave their lives to shaping our culture and made outstanding contributions to it. I’m proud to be a descendant of gifted and skilled musicians and composers such as Kurmangazy, Dauletkerei, Tattimbet, Kaldayakov, Zhubanov, and Amre Kashaubaev. And, the dombyra allows me to continue their legacy by promoting our culture both within our people and internationally.
-What did you bring to each of the three feature films you worked on?
— In each of the three feature films, my goal was to enhance the storytelling and amplify the emotional impact through music. In Zere, the main character does not say a word throughout the entire movie. So, the soundtrack was crucial in expressing her feelings and internal conflict, adding a lot of depth and emotions to the silent moments by incorporating thoughtfully chosen melodies, harmonies and ambient sounds. As it was awarded Best Original Score at esteemed international film festivals, the soundtrack proved to not only enhance the images but also the overall mood of the picture. Responses from both industry critics and viewers confirmed how much the music contributed to making the characters and plot come to life. Claustro was a horror movie with intense and suspenseful scenes, and we used the music to set the mood and evoke strong feelings in viewers. I tried to bring the tension, dread, fear and shock in the plot to a higher level by using soundscapes, dissonant sounds, and expressive melodies. The audience’s emotions were guided by the music, which truly improved the immersive experience. Boxer offered a different challenge because it told the inspirational and motivational story of a Kazakhstani boxer who wins the Olympics. In this case, the music needed to inspire and motivate the audience while enhancing the victorious story full of struggles and hardships. The music here truly highlighted the boxer’s journey and gave the audience a sense of pride and motivation.
— What can awards mean to a musical artist like yourself?
— Being recognized for Zere at the Kinoshock and Listapad festivals with the two awards for the Best Original Score was a total surprise. Turns out the music in this film stood out to many people, which means an absolute world to me. These awards were a huge source of inspiration and drive. I started this project not knowing if I was doing things right, so seeing that the music I put my whole being into was appreciated and acknowledged, by both viewers and critics, truly inspired and motivated me to keep pushing the boundaries of my craft and keep doing what I am doing.
— What was the challenge of the Samsung commercial?
— The task for the Samsung commercial was to compose music that was both contemporary and distinctly Kazakh in order to tell the story and evoke the vastness of the steppe, the wind, and other nature sounds. Writing music that could showcase these elements was a task that required careful attention to detail and a deep understanding of storytelling and the cultural context. I had to meet with the clients, stakeholders, and production team several times over the process to present and go over my vision for the music. To be fully transparent, having that many people involved in the decision-making made this process extremely stressful. But the outcome was totally worth it, as the commercial won a Silver award for the “Best Use of Sound and Music” at the PHNX AdForum festival.
— Would you also like to continue performing live, and what are your dream venues?
— I absolutely see myself continuing with both composition and performance as I genuinely love doing both. Scoring a big, impactful film project that has deep meaning and significance — a project that truly makes a difference — is one of my ultimate goals. And when it comes to dream venues, having my own orchestral recording session at legendary venues like Abbey Road or the Warner Bros Eastwood Scoring stage is one of my goals.
Check out the website of Dana Zulpykhar, and also her YouTube and Instagram pages.
