News

· From July 31 till August 4 the 9th “VOICE of ASIA” International Festival tooik place. 18 contestants from 17 states took part into the competition: Kazakhstan, China, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Turkey, South Korea,
Egypt, Palestine, Kyrgystan, Italy, India, USA, Germany, Tadjikistan. For the first time there were Albania, Malta and Togo among countries- participants.
· The members of the International Jury, represented at the Festival by the outstanding composers, producers, art-criticists and journalists, without any hesitation voted for the awarding of the main award of the Contest- GRAND PRIX ( 10 thousands dollars) to the young artist from Italy LUCA SEPE;

1st Prize (5 thousand dollars) - VLADIMIR STUPIN (Kazakhstan)
2nd Prize ( ELSA LILA (Albania) TAN JING ( China)
3rd Prize - AFIA MALA (Togo )

According to the resolution of FIDOF members, represented in the International Jury, the young outstanding performer from Bulgaria - Yanitza was proclaimed as the owner of the Special Diploma of FIDOF and specially prepared hand-made carpet with FIDOF emblem.
The best composer was announced Ray Agius (Malta)The best arranger was announced Roman Seehon (Germany)
The best sound-engineer was done Rick Cowling Jr. (USA)The honourable guests of the festival were the laureates of the previous years: “AB- Three” (Indonesia), Darren Holden (Ireland), Sebnem Ozsaran
(Turkey), Svetlana Slavkovich (Yugoslavia).
· In the frame of International festival “The Contest of the Contemporary song of Kazakhstan” has being held. 7 bests songs were chosen from 21 songs, that had being awarded by special prize of Culture Commitee under
Ministry of Education, Culture and Healthkeeping of the Republic of Kazakhstan.Aigul Babaeva, Bauyrzhan Isaev, Nazgul Duisenbaeva, “ABK” band, Bakhtiar Tailakpaev, Nurlan Abdulin, B. Isaev and Nagima Eskalieva
got that prizes.
Also within the frame of the “Voice of Asia” festival had being held a celebration of Art Legend of Kazakhstan Mr. Yermek Serkebaev, who is an honourable master of chamber genre.
· Guests staff was the following below: mega stars from Russia - Philipp Kirkorov, Leonid Agutin, Linda, Andrey Gubin, and also La Bouche (Germany), N-TRANCE, Patricia Kaas (France), Peter Andre (Australia).
· The all leading mass media systems of Kazakshtan, Uzbekistan and Tadjikistanwerekeepingovertheobservation for the contest. The Solemn Rewarding Ceremony of Festival has being broadcasted by thefirststatetelecompany “KHABAR” channel on air. Special TV- headlines of “Voice of Asia” had been issued daily. All three days of the Contestants’ Performance also translated on “KHABAR” channel by recording.
· During the 32 edition of FIDOF Assambley on January 21, 1998 Mass- media of Kazakhstan was announced to be best in supporting and encouragement of festival movement. Mr. Nurettin Soydan- Founder of Turkish Association Journalists handed the challenge prize- FIDOF “Ring of Friendship” to Mrs. Fatima Begenbaeva, a chief of Press- centre of the “Asia Dauysy” and Mr. Kamal Smailov, chairman of Journalists Union, on the Ceremony of reward on August 4.