PITTSBURGH—The Carnegie Mellon University Center for Iranian Music is sponsoring the residency of Turkish music master Önder Özkoç through April at the College of Fine Arts (CFA). Özkoç's residency will feature free lectures and research on Turkish music, as well as a recital on Thursday, April 10, at Kresge Recital Hall.Beginning Feb. 19, the free lectures will take place weekly from 6:30 - 8:20 p.m. every Wednesday through April 23 in Room 157 of the CFA Building. These lectures are open to all CMU and the public. Lectures will cover the following topics:
- History of Turkish Music;
- The interval and rhythmic structure of the Turkish modal system, the Makam;
- The religious music of Turkey;
- The folk music of Turkey; and
- The contemporary music of Turkey.
The recital will feature five folk and contemporary Turkish music premieres by Turkish composers. They will be performed by a chamber ensemble conducted by Daniel Nesta Curtis, the School of Music's Contemporary Music Ensemble director, and Erberk Eryilmaz, a conducting and composition student in the School of Music.
Özkoç, born in 1978 in Konya, Turkey, is a professor at Hacettepe University's Ankara State Conservatory, where he also is pursuing a doctorate in composition. A composer and performer, Özkoç's musical background includes self-taught mandolin, guitar, ba lama (stringed Turkish folk instrument), ud and tanbur, and diverse musical styles from Turkish folk to rock and jazz. His compositions are highly influenced by Turkish folk, religious and Ottoman music, and include chamber and orchestral works. This is his first visit to the United States.
"This is a golden opportunity to sign up for a free course about Turkish music, taught by one of the eminent masters of that genre," said Reza Vali, professor of composition in the CMU School of Music and director of research and education for the Center for Iranian Music.
For more information, contact Erberk Eriylmaz at erberkeryilmaz@gmail.com or 860-838-1991.
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Önder Özkoç (pictured above) will give several free lectures on Turkish music, as well as a recital on Thursday, April 10, at Kresge Recital Hall.