Opening Concert with Hezarfen Ensemble

To mark the beginning of Tarabya Cultural Academy’s 15th anniversary celebrations, Hezarfen Ensemble presents a special concert at Süreyya Opera House, featuring works by alumni of the Academy and showcasing successful collaborations between artists from Türkiye and Germany.

The programme centres on works by Tarabya Cultural Academy alumni Ketan Bhatti, Martin Grütter, Samir Odeh-Tamami and Stefan Lienenkämper. It also includes Companioning by composer and alumna Fulya Uçanok, written for string quartet, live electronics and fixed media. Uçanok will perform the piece together with the musicians of Hezarfen Ensemble.

Founded in 2010 by Ulrich Mertin and Michael Ellison, Hezarfen Ensemble is regarded as one of the first professional contemporary music ensembles in Türkiye. Through its innovative programmes and transcultural approach, the ensemble has played a significant role in shaping contemporary music in the country, while also gaining international recognition. For the anniversary concert, the ensemble’s string quartet has curated a selection of works that have emerged from fifteen years of artistic encounters and collaborations with Tarabya Cultural Academy.

The evening thus not only brings individual compositional voices to the fore but also highlights the diversity of musical perspectives brought together through the Academy’s international residency programme. It is a concert about exchange, collaboration and the power of artistic networks across borders.

Musicians

Özcan Ulucan – violin
İmge Tilif Yalçınkaya – violin
Ulrich Mertin – viola
Ozan Evrim Tunca – cello
Guest: Fulya Uçanok – electronics

Venue: Süreyya Opera House, Kadıköy, Istanbul

With the kind support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.
In cooperation with Kadıköy Municipality and Hezarfen Ensemble.