THE STEPPE SCHOOL OF KAZAKH SINGING WITHIN THE PARADIGM OF IMMERSIVE INSTALLATIONS AND PERFORMATIVE ETHNOMUSICOLOGY

This article proposes an aesthetic and technical reconstruction of the so-called "Steppe Vocal School" – the traditional performative paradigm of Kazakh singing – through modern immersive methodologies, including sound installation, acoustic-physiological analysis, and AI-based performative practices. Based on the analysis of ethnographic sources, literary memoirs, and oral testimonies (specifically the works of Akhmet Zhubanov, Saken Zhunissov, and Zeinur Kospakov), the study identifies pedagogical and stylistic principles inherent in the traditional vocal culture of Kazakhstan’s nomads. An interdisciplinary approach is applied, integrating ethnomusicology, phonology, sound anthropology, and performance studies. The methodological framework is grounded in an integrative literature review aimed at systematizing modern vocal techniques (Boaventura). A critical analysis and synthesis of academic works indexed in the Web of Science database and leading Kazakhstani musicological sources in Kazakh, English, and Portuguese were conducted. This method enabled the identification of existing theoretical gaps, the determination of promising directions for addressing current issues in vocal pedagogy, and the formulation of innovative approaches to the modernization of singing practices. The central proposal is the development of an immersive sound installation that not only documents but also recreates the acoustic, spatial, and emotional atmosphere of steppe singing, transforming traditional vocal practice into performative digital data. This approach aims both to preserve intangible heritage and to integrate it into contemporary cultural and educational ecosystems. The interdisciplinary scientific and methodological significance of the findings lies in the theoretical comparison and critical evaluation of traditional and innovative approaches to vocal pedagogy. The practical value of the study lies in the potential integration of its findings into the educational process of higher education institutions specializing in the arts and in their application by practicing performers to optimize the technical and technological aspects of vocal production. The conclusions may inform professional training programs for traditional singers and provide a theoretical foundation for subsequent empirical research in vocal performance.