The UC Santa Cruz Central Asian Ensemble is a unique musical ensemble that allows university students to learn and perform repertoire from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It is the only ensemble of its kind in North America. Students focus primarily on the dutar, a traditional two-stringed instrument common throughout Central Asia, and also learn and perform on the frame drum (doyra) and sing in the Uzbek language. This ensemble engages in community outreach with the Central Asian diaspora in the United States, often providing free-of-charge performances for community events. It also has collaborated extensively with master-musicians from Uzbekistan, such as Ruzibi Khodjayeva, Malikakhon Ziyaeva, and Abbos Qosimov. The ensemble supports learning and dissemination of Uzbek and Tajik music throughout Northern California.
