Biography - Rustem Kurtmemetov

About artist

Rustem Kurtmemetov was born on August 13, 1983, in the village of Voikovo (Hydyrlez), Leninsky district, Crimea.

Since his childhood, he was interested in music as he grew up in a musical family: father, Remzi Kurtmemetov, played the violin, mother, Nefize Kurtmemetova, sang folk songs, older brother, Eskender, plays the accordion, and the middle brother is a drummer.

In 1989 Rustem entered Kerch children's music school, the class of violin. A year later, he went to a secondary school.

Even during his school years, together with his family, he participated in the ensemble at many events, concerts, competitions and festivals in the city of Kerch. Later, the ensemble "Hydyrlez" was created.

In 1998 Rustem entered Simferopol Music College named after Tchaikovsky, the violin class. He actively participated in various all-Ukrainian and international competitions and festivals, where he took top places.

In 2002 Rustem Kurtmemetov graduated from college and entered the Crimean branch of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. While studying, he worked in the folklore ensemble "Kyrym" under the guidance of Kakura. He toured with the ensemble in Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Russia.

From 2004 to 2006, he worked as a musician in Egypt.

Upon his return to Crimea, Rustem began working in various musical groups: "Efsane", "Qara Deniz" and "Arafat". At that time, he participated in various projects and recordings of soundtracks for popular Crimean hits.

In 2009 Rustem and his friends created the ethnic jazz band "Hayat", which exists to this day. Over the years, the group has taken part in various projects, concerts, competitions and international festivals in Moscow, Kyiv, Kazan, Novorossiysk, Koktebel and Sevastopol, as well as abroad in Romania and Turkey.

In 2019 Rustem entered Crimean Industrial and Pedagogical University, the Faculty of Musical Art, the violin class. In November 2020, he participated in the international competition "Prague Starfall" in the Czech Republic, where he became a laureate and took first place.

The musician says: “When participating in competitions and festivals, it is important for me to acquaint listeners from all over the world with Crimean Tatar culture and art”. Rustem is married, has three children, two of them are already studying music.

“I hope to pass on my love for the Motherland, the Crimean Tatar language, culture and art of my people to my children, and those, in turn, will pass it on to their children. This should be the national idea of our people, ”Rustem Kurtmemetov shares his opinion.