By Ted AYALA

Glendale resident Timur Bekbosunov, founder and leader of the Dime Museum band, is a busy man these days. Criss-crossing not only musical paths but also national boundaries, Bekbosunov has been hard at work engaged in various musical ventures. The high demand for his work serves as a testament to the quality of his musicianship and of the intrepid mind that refuses to be boxed into sterilized genres.

Just returning from Kazakhstan where he performed with the Kazakh State Folk Orchestra in the world premiere of the “Silent Steppe Cantata,” a piece written expressly for Bekbosunov’s manifold talents by local composer Anne Le Baron.

“It was a very successful performance,” said Bekbosunov. “It is a musical portrait of Kazakhstan […] focusing on the 1930s when thousands perished in the Kazakh Genocide because of Stalin’s agricultural policies.”

Returning to Los Angeles where Timur and the Dime Museum is getting ready to make a tour of the Los Angeles area with a performance at Los Angeles’ Bootleg Theater (2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles) on Thursday, May 5, Bekbosunov and his band are ready to explore new directions for the band.

“We’re definitely going to be doing less covers,” said Bekbosunov. “We have some talented composers in our band that we want to showcase. Daniel Corral, for example, who is our wonderful arranger.”

Not content with stirring different musical genres into a heady brew, Bekbosunov is also looking to incorporate other modes of artistic expression into his act. “Theater is definitely something we want to use. I’ve always felt a strong pull of the theater in our aesthetic. It definitely would set us apart from a lot of other acts.”

Sharing the May 5 program with fellow musician Dorian Wood, Bekbosunov spoke of a possible collaboration with Wood.

“We’re both artists who have a different and unique aesthetic. There’s definitely a sympathy there we want to explore further,” he said.

Later this summer, Timur and the Dime Museum will be touring outside the L.A. area for the first time.

“We’ll be going to Oakland, San Francisco, and Berkeley,” said Bekbosunov. “Definitely expanding our range.”

In that spirit, Timur and the Dime Museum are making plans for further branching out. “A tour to Europe in 2012 is definitely being planned out,” said Bekbosunov. “Berlin, Prague, and cities in Poland have invited us to perform. That would be fantastic going over there.”

Even before his prospective trip to Europe, Bekbosunov has more surprises, including the recording of two new CDs scheduled for production in Oakland.

“We’re lucky that we have so many talented members in our band,” Bekbosunov proudly stated. “I’m glad to be leading this exciting project.

Tickets are still available for Timur and the Dime Museum’s performance at the Bootleg Theater. More information is available by visiting www.timurandthedimemuseum.com or by calling the Bootleg Theater at (213) 389-3856.