Kazhgaliev Shamgon - conductor. People’s Artist of Kazakhstan and the USSR, professor of Kurmangazy Almaty State Conservatory. Born in1927 in Uralsk Region. Graduated from the Department of Folk Instruments of Almaty State Conservatory and the Department of Conducting at Leningrad Conservatory. The work of Sh.Kazhgaliev is almost entirely linked with Kurmangazy Kazakh State Academic Orchestra of Folk Instruments, the artistic leader and the chief conductor of which he became in 1971. The high professionalism of Kazhgaliev as a conductor and an organiser helped perfect the orchestra’s repertoire through in-depth studying of the classics of national music, the kiuis of the famous folk composers from Kurmangazy and Dauletkerei to Dina and Sugur, which have entered the golden fond of Kazakh culture.