In solving the main tasks of mass musical and aesthetic education, a music teacher of a general education school plays an important role, which should be a professional musician, teacher and educator. A teacher — a musician with advanced views and worldview, with high moral ideals, who loves music and children — is trained by the Department of Music and Singing, which was opened in 1996.
From the moment of foundation: the department was headed by the Honored Worker of Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic, Professor O. A. Abdyldaev.
Disciplines taught in the main specialty:
- Musical-theoretical-historical disciplines (music theory, solfeggio, harmony, polyphony, analysis of musical forms, history of music (domestic and foreign)).
- Lessons of choral cycles — choral conducting, reading of a choral score, choral arrangement, choral studies, choral class, conductor-choir practice. The purpose of these classes is to prepare students for future musical and pedagogical activities and to lead the children’s choir.
The following classes are aimed at forming the system of musical education and mastering their methods: Methods of musical education, Methods of aesthetic education, Ethnopedagogy, Pedagogical skills.
Subjects of the musical performance cycle: to teach to play mainly musical instruments (piano, accordion and an additional instrument (komuz)), accompanist and ensemble: to teach to accompany a singer or choir and practice singing and voice. The main task of teaching these lessons is to teach students the skills of musical performance, the correct use of musical instruments and the use of special and additional instruments in the extracurricular musical and aesthetic education of schoolchildren.
Since the foundation of the department, many music teachers have been trained for the country’s comprehensive schools.
The teachers of the department, in addition to teaching activities, are engaged in research, teaching and methodological work. They have created an anthology on conducting, training materials for instrumentalists and vocalists, repertoire collections have been published and will be published further. The department holds international, city and university conferences, scientific conferences, seminars, round tables, open lectures and meetings with music teachers.
Teachers of the department undergo special training and certificates for advanced training. Teachers travel with students to schools and universities with lectures on music, master classes, small concert programs. Such events will increase the interest of schoolchildren, students and applicants for learning.