Letter from Istanbul celebrates the traditional music of Western Anatolia & Aegean Islands. This project grew out of the longtime musical friendship of Derya Türkan and Sokratis Sinopoulos. Letter from Istanbul is a sophisticated melding of traditional Turkish and Greek folk forms such as zeybeks and sirtos. The ensemble includes: Derya Türkan on kemenche, Sokratis Sinopoulos on kemenche (Turkish fiddle) and lavta (short-necked lute), Ugur Isik on violoncello, Hakan Güngör on kanun (plucked zither), Perikles Papapetropoulos, also on lavta, and the Yarkin brothers, Fahreddin and Ferruh, on percussions. Master Derya Türkan is dedicated to continuing the style of his teacher Ihsan Özgen and of Tanburi Cemil Bey. Sokratis Sinopoulos has played in Ross Daly’s Labyrinth Ensemble, with Greek demotika and rebetika groups, as well as Byzantine music and western jazz ensembles.

Away from politics between nations, joined in the universality of music, this is an invitation that aims to join people. This reflects a cultural brotherhood, a melting pot, relationship among peoples with love despite the kind of boundaries that are drawn.

Ensemble Members

Derya Türkan - kemenche (kemençe, three-stringed fiddle)
Sokratis Sinopoulos - kemenche (politiki lyra) & lavta (polítiko laoúto)
Ugur Isik - violoncello
Hakan Güngör - kanun (plucked zither)
Perikles Papapetropoulos - lavta (polítiko laoúto)
Fahreddin Yarkin - percussion
Ferruh Yarkin - percussion

April 29, 2006 Saturday 8 PM
Boston, MA

Tower Auditorium, Tower Building
Massachusetts College of Art
621 Huntington Avenue, Boston
Located at the corner of Longwood Ave. & Huntington Ave.
Accessible by Green Line E train (Longwood stop) or by #39 bus.
Tickets: Priority Seating $16, General Admission $11 -- when purchased on-line
Priority Seating $20, General Admission $15 -- at the door

Presented by 5th Boston Turkish Film and Music Festival

Festival Website & Tickets

April 30, 2006 Sunday 7 PM
New York, NY

Peter Norton Symphony Space
2537 Broadway at 95th Street
New York, NY 10025-6990

Tickets $ 26, WMI Friends $ 22

Presented by World Music Institute

Sponsored by
Turkish Culture and Tourism Office, New York &
Moon and Stars Project

World Music Institute Web Site

Tickets