The IX International Competition of Russian Romance performers "Central Asian Romance Contest" started at the Kyrgyz National Conservatory named after K. Moldobasanov on October 21. More than a hundred young performers from four countries took the stage — Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and, for the first time, Tajikistan.

The competition is included in the program of the XXIX International Competition of young performers of Russian romance "Romansiada-2025". The winners will take part in the finals of the XXIX Romansiad in December 2025 in Moscow. 

Students of creative universities, students of secondary specialized educational institutions and music schools, and just lovers of Russian romance from Central Asian countries are invited. The age of the participants is from 6 to 35 years old. 

The competition was held in three categories:
• "Hope of the Romansiade" - for participants under the age of 18;
• "Young performers" - for performers under the age of 27;
• "Romance without Borders" - for performers under 35 years of age without a professional musical education. 
The performers presented romances by Russian and Kyrgyz composers to the jury. Following the results of two competitive rounds, the winners and prize-winners will be determined, who will perform at the gala concert at the Kyrgyz National Philharmonic named after T. Satylganov on October 22.

This year, the organizers have established two additional prizes.: 
• "For the best performance of a romance based on the poems of Sergei Yesenin" in connection with the 130th anniversary of the poet's birth;
• Special prize named after People's Artist of the USSR Bulat Minzhilkiev on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of the birth of the great singer. 

The organizers of the contest are the Ministry of Culture, Information and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian House in Bishkek, the NGO Center for International Interaction and Cooperation of the Foundation for Cultural and Humanitarian Initiatives, the Romansiada Charitable Foundation, the Media Partner of the contest, the Sputnik Kyrgyzstan News Agency and Radio.

For the first time, ANO Eurasia became the general partner of the competition, which supports the strengthening of mutually beneficial integration processes in the Eurasian space while preserving the national identity of the peoples. ANO Eurasia provides the prize fund of the competition.

For the first time in history, competitive auditions were held at two venues at once – in the large and small concert halls of the Kyrgyz National Conservatory named after K. Moldobasanov.

The performances of the participants were evaluated by: Honored Artist of Russia Galina Preobrazhenskaya, People's Artist of Kyrgyzstan Sayrakul Chotkarayeva, People's Artist of Uzbekistan Avazkhon Radjabov, Honored Artists of Kyrgyzstan Elnura Muktarbek, Yulia Rutskaya, Irina Rybina, Honored Cultural Worker of the Kyrgyz Republic Tamara Rublinskaya, excellent cultural worker of Tajikistan Sharofat Usmonzoda, winners and laureates of the Moscow Romansiad – Emil Sakavov, Miran Zhanarbayev and others. Sergey Petrishchev. 

 According to Albert Zulkharneyev, head of the Russian House in Bishkek: "Our "Romansiada" is growing. We ourselves are surprised at how the competition is developing and expanding. More than a hundred participants. We have new friends and partners. For the first time, our competition was supported by the Center for International Interaction and Cooperation and the Eurasia Foundation. This competition brings together talented young people from all over Central Asia.  We wish the participants to reveal all facets of their talent."