Ankara gets set for month of music

ANKARA

The 34th International Ankara Music Festival, organized by the Sevda-Cenap And Foundation, will meet music lovers between April 4 and 30 in the Turkish capital. 

Operating according to the idea that distressing incidents in Turkey and around the world are no reason to halt art, the festival will host some 250 artists from eight countries, presenting selected examples of classical music, rock ‘n’ roll, flamenco and jazz. 

The State Polyphonic Choir, one of the world’s oldest orchestras which has continued without interruption since its establishment, will perform the opening concert of the 34th International Ankara Music Festival at the MEB Şura Hall.

Mezzosoprano Asude Yavuz, baritone Caner Akgün and bandoneon artist Tolga Salman will perform in the second part of the concert.

The second concert at the festival will be given on April 12 in the same venue by the Kyiv Soloists.

Considered one of the most important chamber music ensembles in Ukraine, the Kyiv Soloists have also been declared official cultural attachés for their country.

The ensemble will be accompanied by violinist Valeriy Sokolov, who is a virtuoso soloist well known for his outstanding technique and delicate performances. Sokolov is also one of the most famous graduates of the Yehudi Mehunin School.

The lively and energetic band Big Al & The Jokers from Latvia will be at the festival on April 13 at the MEB Şura Hall and on April 14 at Bis by New Castle Bilkent.

The band, established in 2013, is composed of some of the best-known and most professional musicians in Latvia. However, in various arrangements, the members of the band have been playing together for over 10 years. 

The band, with its ability to create a funny atmosphere of rock ‘n’ roll in clubs, corporate events and at any other events, has become one of the most sought-after bands in Europe. 

The performance will be made even more colorful with the addition of lindy hop, rock ‘n’ roll and Jazz dancers. 

On April 19, the festival will host young Belgian artist Julien Libeer, who won the most prestigious classical music award “Diaposon D’or” and was also rewarded with the Belgian Klara National Music Radio Best Artist Award, as well as an honor for the youngest European classical music artist.

Libeer, who is one of the candidates of the 2017 International Classical Music Awards, will be at the MEB Şura Hall. 

The Ahmet Kanneci Classical Guitar Recital will take place on April 20 at Hacettepe M Hall. 

As a performer and an educator, Kanneci worked on the recognition and the development of classical guitar in Turkey. He will celebrate his 40th year in art with a special concert at the festival. 

Flamenco’s multi-awarded artist Rafael Amargo will be in Ankara on April 22 at the MEB Şura Hall. 
With his outstanding and successful shows both in Spain and around the world, Amargo is a dancer who blends traditional elements of flamenco with contemporary choreography. 

Czech duo Jan Mracek and Lukas Klansky will perform at the festival on April 26 at the MEB Şura Hall. 
Mracek was awarded with first prize at the Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition, one of the most prestigious violin competitions, in 2014. Klansky, who has played as a soloist in prestigious orchestras in Europe, currently performs as a soloist in Slovakia, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Croatia. 

On April 27, the Turkish group Begoa will be on the stage at the MEB Şura Hall. Established in May 2016, the ensemble’s musicians with special interest in chamber music will perform their repertoire of chamber music, particularly the works of Turkish composers and other works that are rarely performed.

Multi-instrumentalist Nicholas Payton will also join the festival and perform his latest project, the Nicholas Payton Afro Caribbean Mixtape Project, a fusion of the traditions of his hometown, New Orleans, with modern jazz, hip-hop, mixtape and spoken-word cultures. Payton will be accompanied by Kevin Hays, Vicente Archer, Joe Dyson, Daniel Sadownick, and DJ Lady Fingaz in the concert on April 29 at MEB Şura Hall. 

The Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Gürer Aykal will perform the closing concert of the event at the MEB Şura Hall on April 30.  

The orchestra, whose honorary president is also Aykal, was established in 2011 by conductor Orhun Orhon and his students. The orchestra gives regular concerts under the auspices of the Society of Youth Living with Music (MÜZGENDER) and the Sevda-Cenap And Music Foundation.

Asaf Erdemli’s sculpture exhibition “Instrumental” will also be open to visitors during the concert days as part of the festival.