Kyrgyz People's Artist Ulukmyrza Polotov Dies at 83

Kyrgyz culture is mourning the loss of Ulukmyrza Polotov, a celebrated People's Artist who passed away on June 17, 2026, at the age of 83. Polotov succumbed to a prolonged illness after a distinguished career as a master of musical art and a professor at the Kady Molodobaev National Conservatory.

Born in 1943 in the Ak-Syy district of the Jalal-Abad region, Polotov's journey in music began after graduating from music college and the Kyrgyz State Institute of Arts. He served as a soloist at the T. Satylganov Kyrgyz National Philharmonic from 1973 to 2005 and later taught at the National Conservatory. His students, who constituted 80-90% of Kyrgyz stage singers, often referred to him as the "Great Master." Many of his talented protégés have achieved international recognition, performing on European stages.

Polotov's pedagogical contributions were significant. He developed folk singing programs and methodologies for higher music education institutions, establishing an authorial school based on national master-apprentice traditions and global academic standards. His repertoire included principal roles in national operas and arias from world-renowned operas by composers like Verdi, Rossini, and Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as romances by Kyrgyz, Russian, and other composers. He was also recognized as a laureate of the Central Asia and Kazakhstan vocalists competition in 1972.