Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly (1823 – 1896) Kazakh folk musician, composer, dombrist, author of kuis.

He was born in 1823 in the Bukey Orda, in the Zhideli tract (now Zhanakala district, West Kazakhstan region), in the family of a poor Sagyrbai. From early childhood, Kurmangazy enthusiastically listened to visiting kuishi, among whom Kuishi Uzak stood out. He noticed a special interest in music in the boy and predicted a great future for him. At the age of 18, Kurmangazy left his native village and began the wandering life of kuishi. Participates in competitions, develops his skills and is promoted to the ranks of outstanding dombrists. Kurmangazy was an eyewitness to the popular uprising led by Isatay Taimanov and Makhambet Utemisov against Khan Dzhangir and the colonial government. One of his first kui, ‘Kishkentai’, was dedicated to this event. For openly criticizing the rich, the composer was often persecuted, repeatedly ended up in prison. He eloquently expressed his feelings about the fate of the people, freedom and independence in the kuis ‘Alatau’ and ‘Saryarka’. His famous kui ‘Adai’ became a reflection of the indomitable spirit and indestructible energy of his contemporaries. The peak of Kurmangazy's creativity is the kui "Saryarka", executed in a light key, painting a picture of the boundless expanses of the Kazakh steppe. Kurmangazy's special playing techniques, largely developing the musical technique of that time, were carefully perceived and developed by his students and followers. Among them were Makhambet Utemisov, Dina Nurpeisova, Yergali Eszhanov and others. Kurmangazy died in 1896. He was buried in the village of Altynzhar in the present Volodarsky district of the Astrakhan region of Russia. To date, 60 kuis of Kurmangazy have been preserved.