Since ancient times, a wonderful animal has lived in the Kazakh steppe – the same age as the mammoth – the saiga antelope. The Kazakhs call it bеken, kiik. According to ancient legends, the saiga has a patroness – Zhezkiik. 
Inspired by the image of Zhezkiik and ancient legends about her steppe poets wrote songs and composers composed kyuis – steppe symphonies. But only the melody of the blind composer Zhaksygeldy Seyilov made this song truly legendary.
The 1st International Music Festival “Zhezkiik” was held from July 12 to 14, 2018 in the historically sacred place of Kazakhstan – Ulytau and the city of Zhezkazgan. The international festival was held within the framework of the State Program “Rukhani Zhangyru”, with the implementation of the project “Spiritual Shrines of Kazakhstan” and the special program “Tugan Zher”.
The festival was held in the sacred place called “Bolatsay”, where the ethno-aul was built especially for this event. On the territory of the ethno-aul was a stage, yurts, playgrounds, altybakan, trade tents, tents for artisans, small architectural forms. The festival was attended by 11 professional groups: Folklore Ensemble “Arka Sazy” (Kazakhstan), Etno-folk Ensemble “Qobyz Saryny” (Kazakhstan), Khayrullo Dadoboev (Tajikistan), Etno-Folk Group “Skaziteli Altaya” (Russia), Folklore Group “Hoverna” (Poland),  Folklore Ensemble of Turkish Music (Turkey), Folk Band “Wagakki” (Japan), Ensemble “Takinan” (Peru), Reading Scottish Pipe Band (Scotland), Folklore Group “Nice La Belle” (France), the Ensemble “Mariachi” (Mexico).
On the third, final day of the 1st International Music Festival “Zhezkiik”, an evening of classical music was held. The concert took place in a specially constructed amphitheater on the embankment of the Kengir reservoir. The concert featured 17 soloists from 10 countries (Kazakhstan, Turkey, Russia, Azerbaijan, Austria, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Italy).