This lecture will aim to explain the poetics of my the two main concepts of my music: “Hat”, contemplations on Turkish music makams and instruments; “Ritualistic Drama” that focuses on interconnections between poetry, drama and ritual. -Onur Türkmen

Biography

Onur Türkmen is a Turkish composer whose work mainly centers upon two concepts: “Hat”, contemplations on Turkish music makams and instruments; “Ritualistic Drama” that focuses on interconnections between poetry, drama and ritual.

His two Ritualistic Dramas so far, have been performed by Yurodny Ensemble (Dublin) (Sailing to Byzantium recepient of Ireland Outcome Grant Summer 2015 and new work award from the Arts Council of Ireland 2019) and Diamanda La Berge Dramm (Amsterdam) (Songs from a Circle, recepient of Eduart van Benium Stichting grant, 2018).

He is the colloborator of European Research Center Project “Beyond East and West: Developing and Documenting and Evolving Transcultural Practice”. His solo violin piece is featured in Ellen Jewett’s CD “Beautiful and Unowned”, published by Naxos Records in May 2019. Recently he received commisions from Goethe Institut and Ankara New Music Festival.

He is the artistic director of NK Ensemble which aims to form a research platform for composers on the usage of Traditional Turkish Music elements in New Music. He studied composition at Berklee College of Music (undergraduate) and İstanbul Technical University’s MIAM (masters and phD.) with Pieter Snapper and İlhan Usmanbaş He is an assistant professor, assistant dean at Bilkent University’s Faculty of Music and Performing Arts in Ankara. https://onurturkmencomposer.wordpress.com/