Far from projecting a single identity, music from contemporary Turkey challenges listeners in its resistance to categorization. In Of Light and Shadows, HEZARFEN attempts to give a glimpse of this diversity. From Tolga Yayalar’s subtle microtonal, post-spectral landscapes, to Onur Türkmen’s delicate reinterpretation of traditional makam and kemençe within his ‘monophonic’ concept of ‘line (Hat)’, to Gedizlioglu‘s eruptive, post-Scelsian vision of what it means to be Mediterranean-blooded (AKDENIZLI), Of Light and Shadows demonstrates a bold young generation of Turkish composers each intent on using whatever tools necessary to create their own fresh, energetic and original musical voices. While by no means comprehensive, we hope this program gives some insight into the diversity and expressive potential of music in Turkey today. 

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