A musician and former music teacher, Ex-Chair of the Tucson Almaty Sister Cities Committee (TASCC), Mrs. Barbara Chinworth has helped organize and execute imp/rtanT vhsits between American musicians to Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstani musicians to Tucson. In her own words, she said “it is musical sound in my memory that is very special” when reflactine n the musical events that have taken place in Tucson and Kazakhstan.
Mrs. Chinworth presented a short, albeit eye-opening lecture on the music of Kazakhstan to the University of Arizona’s class “The Other Kazakhstan”, taught by Kazakhstan native, Zura Dotton. The lecture included a brief overview of some of the traditional instruments from Kazakhstan accompanied by Mrs. Chinworth performing tunes on each of the instruments she had brought into class so everyone could see and hear the instruments, new and old, as they sound in Kazakhstan. When she strummed her prized, antique qobyz, the entire class was captivated with the story behind it and the sounds coming from the old horsehair strings. Lastly, she played the class some songs recorded by Kazakhstani musicians, pointing out which instruments were makIng sound and explaining the influence of classically trained Russian musicians on traditional Kazakh music. Above all, the commentary that Mrs. Chinworth provided about her personal experiences in music with the people of Kazakhstan was what left the most impact on the students.