For nearly a decade, Temirlan Olzhabay and Yernat Nauryz have been on a mission to introduce the dombra—a two-stringed instrument central to Kazakh culture—to audiences far beyond Central Asia. Their work has taken them to more than 30 countries, including numerous European stages, where they have won international competitions and built a following that extends well beyond the traditional world music circuit.
The duo, known simply as Temirlan & Yernat, describe the dombra as more than an instrument: it is a living part of Kazakh identity, passed down through generations. “For us, the dombra is our culture, our traditional art inherited from our ancestors,” Yernat says. “We’ve devoted our lives to taking it to the highest level and introducing it to the world.”
From the Steppe to the World Stage
One of their most notable achievements came in 2022, when they won the World Championship in Los Angeles. But their journey has also been deeply intertwined with Europe. They have performed in Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and other European countries, often as part of the “Stranger” world tour of fellow Kazakh artist Dimash Qudaibergen, known for his extraordinary vocal range. Temirlan says the idea of forming the duo was encouraged during their student years, partly through their friendship with Dimash.
International audiences, the duo says, are frequently surprised by the expressive power of the dombra. “When we bring it into a contemporary context, it truly surprises international audiences. People can hardly believe that two strings can carry works as complex as Paganini or Mozart,” Yernat explains. “When they hear it, they’re genuinely amazed.”
The ‘Deco-Modern’ Sound
The duo has developed a style they call “deco-modern”, a contemporary approach that blends the classical Kazakh küy tradition—a form of instrumental storytelling—with modern arrangements, band elements, and original compositions. Around 90% of their repertoire is self-written. “Every musician has a direction that feels closest to them. I think we found ours,” says Temirlan. “It’s about bringing dombra music into a modern sound without losing its spirit.”
One of their original pieces, “Alem” (meaning “world” in Kazakh), has gone viral on Instagram, used in more than 700,000 reels. Yet the duo sees virality as secondary to a broader cultural mission. “From the beginning, our goal was to present the dombra to the world,” Temirlan says. “Everything we do comes back to that.”
Their work also connects with broader trends in global music, as highlighted in our article on Beyond English: Seven Languages Reshaping Global Music, where non-English artists are increasingly finding international audiences.
Collaborations and Future Ambitions
Dimash’s younger brother, multi-instrumentalist Abilmansur Qudaibergen, has become a creative collaborator on the duo’s ongoing “Alem” tour. For Abilmansur, the dombra was foundational. “You could say the dombra opened the door for me to other instruments,” he says. During the tour, he performs original compositions on guitar and piano, with audiences singing along to instrumental versions of Dimash’s songs.
As the duo approaches its tenth anniversary, they are planning major concerts and dreaming of something rarely associated with traditional instrumental music: a stadium filled with thousands of people playing the dombra together. “We dream of a stadium where twenty thousand people raise their dombras and perform together,” Yernat says. “That would be something extraordinary.”
This ambition reflects a broader cultural shift in Central Asia, where traditional instruments are being reimagined for modern audiences. For European listeners, the duo’s work offers a fresh perspective on how heritage can evolve without losing its roots.
