Hello everyone and welcome back to my weekly post on my blog, where we talk about Art and Culture. On this week posts we’ll talk about one of the seven arts, the music. It’s amazing how I needed to post for seven weeks until talking about music, one of my favourites hobbies. Music for me is one of the finest expressions of emotions, music can be there for you for your most wonderful times and for the darkest; music can make me sad and can make me terribly happy; it teleports us to places feelings and people. On this first entrance of the week, I would like to talk about Turkish traditional music.

Turkish music is a beautiful mix of all the different influences that the country has experienced through time, from the ottoman reign to the byzantine empire and exploring Asian and Persian influences. Turkish folk music deeply rooted in the rural traditions Anatolia and other regions of turkey, often tells stories of real-life events, folklore, love, nature, and historical occurrences. Passed from mouth to mouth through generations it’s how nowadays we can still hear groups of people gathered in groups on bars with their bağlama, kanun and tambur sharing those stories that once have happened to their ancestors.

As other regions Izmir has its own music style the Zeybek style of folk music and dance. Izmir, along with its neighbouring provinces like Aydın, Balıkesir, and Manisa, is deeply influenced by Zeybek culture, which flourished from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Zeybeks were historically brave figures who stood against injustice, and their spirit is reflected in the music and dance.

The most important thing is that these traditions need to keep alive and it’s us, young people who must keep them alive.