Myskal Omurkanova (1915—1976) — an outstanding folk singer. She was born in the village of Epkin in the Jumgal district of the Naryn region. She began her artistic career in 1936 when she won first prize at the All-Kyrgyz Olympiad of Folk Art. When she joined the Naryn Regional Musical and Dramatic Theater in 1940, Myskal already had some performance experience in her native village of Chayek, in the so-called collective farm theater. Her rich, velvety voice, unique in timbre, range, and power, along with her musical talent, predetermined the rapid creative growth of the singer. She was invited to the Kyrgyz State Philharmonic and worked there as a soloist until 1961.
During the Great Patriotic War, M. Omurkanova performed in the rear and at the front as part of a concert brigade led by the akyn O. Bolebalaev.The singer achieved great success at the second Decade of Kyrgyz Art in Moscow (1958), where her performance of B. Eginchiev's song "Alimkan," with lyrics by Toktogul, received enthusiastic reviews in the press of those days.
As a wonderful performer of folk and author songs, Myskal composed several of her own — "Akbermet" (a female name), "From the Bottom of My Heart" ("Juregumden"), "Collective Farmer" ("Kolhozdogu kurbuма"), "The Song of the Collective Farmer" ("Kolhozchunun kuygenu"), and others. She was so skilled with the komuz that she accompanied herself freely and expressively.
M. Omurkanova had great public authority as an outstanding singer. She was awarded the Order of Lenin, honored with the title of People's Artist of the Kyrgyz SSR (1954), and was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Kyrgyz SSR.
