“After returning from the army in the fall of 1973, I began working at our secondary school named after V. I. Lenin in January 1974, when the winter holidays ended. My job involved teaching music and physical education. That same year, we started making electric guitars on our own, and in 1975, we organized a New Year's masquerade and held our first concert for the students. Some of those who performed in the ensemble back then attended our anniversary, which took place on December 2,” he said.
The reason for creating their own electric guitars was his military service, where he played in an ensemble with Russian soldiers. Upon returning home, he was gifted a homemade guitar. At that time, the military club was equipped with various instruments, while the homemade guitars remained unused. Based on the guitar he brought back, the production of other instruments began at the school, with amplifiers obtained from film projectors in the physics classroom. Thus, the formation of the ensemble started in 1975.
“That same year, an instrumental ensemble was created, and recently we celebrated its 50th anniversary with a big concert,” added Tyumenbaev.
He also mentioned that in the past, they organized propaganda brigades, performing in front of labor collectives, shepherds, and conducting lectures and concerts. In the late 1970s, graduates of the school in the village of Ottyk created a Komsomol brigade "Altyn-Bulak" and engaged in animal husbandry. They organized concerts, often performing with the ensemble and visiting sheepfolds, where they had electric light for connecting equipment.
Since the early 1990s, the ensemble has almost ceased active operations, performing only at rare events such as "Sarmerden" and "Yry Kese." After retiring, the ensemble's work effectively stopped due to outdated equipment. However, when it came time to celebrate the anniversary, Bukarbai repaired the remaining instruments and gathered former student musicians to hold the celebration.
Thus, the ensemble "Uchkyn" was re-established, and Tyumenbaev hopes for its active functioning and renewal of its members.
“In my youth, difficulties were not felt; we tirelessly participated in public life. However, preparing for the 50th anniversary of the ensemble was a real challenge. The old equipment needed repairs, and my singers had scattered to different places, so I had to re-establish contact with them, prepare new repertoires, and much more. There were many difficulties,” he noted.
Among Bukarbai Tyumenbaev's achievements is the establishment of a local history museum named after the Hero of Socialist Labor Tölösün Ismailov, which won a prize at the regional review in the 1980s. He is also one of the authors of the textbook "World History" for 10th grades in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Tyumenbaev has achievements in volleyball at the district level and has been awarded certificates and diplomas. Previously, he engaged in long-distance running, but now he prefers race walking.
“When I have free time, I draw for the kindergarten — it’s my hobby,” he added.
He is a family man; his wife is Kazakh, and they have been living together for 50 years. They met when she was studying at a cooperative technical school in Frunze and came for summer agricultural work. After a year of dating, they got married. “She sometimes jokes: ‘I even liked your lake,’” Bukarbai noted.
They have five children — two daughters and three sons, as well as 14 grandchildren.
As for future plans, Tyumenbaev wishes for peace and stability for his children. If health permits, he wants to continue developing rural culture and sports among veterans, girls, and women, working on improving their skills.
