Projects | Ceren Türkmenoğlu

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CEREN TÜRKMENOĞLU

Violinist | Recording Artist | Composer

Music from
WHERE THE SUN RISES

Anatolia, my homeland, derives its name from the Greek word anatolé, meaning "where the sun rises." Inspired by this, my projects focus on:

Preserving Traditional Roots: Across time and cultures, traditional roots have provided the foundation for artistic expression.

Exploring Cultural Interconnections: I’m deeply inspired by the intersections between cultures, especially in Turkey — a land where numerous cultural influences converge.

Illuminating Hidden Histories: Music holds many untold stories, and I am dedicated to bringing forward the lesser-known repertoire that deserves to be heard.

Creating Meaningful Connections with Audiences: I foster audience engagement through pre-concert talks, creating shared experiences.

Please click on the images below for information about each project.

EAST OF THE SUN
WEST OF THE MOON

east of the sun

Image: Painting by Mary Gold

TURKISH - OTTOMAN
WOMEN COMPOSERS

Women Musicians

Image: A musical gathering, 18th century

HIDDEN
MELODIES

Aivazovsky%20-%20View_of_Constantinople_

Image: Painting by Ivan Aivazovsky

tuva

Strings Around the World
JOURNEY TO TUVA

Stringed instruments, primarily made from perishable materials like wood, have an undocumented history prior to written records. However, many musicologists believe they originated in Central Asia and spread globally from there.

As a violinist, I explore diverse musical cultures by studying their traditional string instruments. Also a performer of the rebab - a Turkish traditional string instrument - my fascination with the connections between traditional instruments led me to conduct research in Tuva, an autonomous republic in Central Asia.

Strings Around the World - Tuva Journey

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My month-long stay in Tuva included interviews with musicians, musicologists, shamans, and instrument makers. I recorded local music, participated in shamanic rituals, and gave a presentation on Turkish string instruments at the Tuvan Cultural Center. The event coincided with the annual throat singing competition, where I was invited to perform with Tyva Ensemble at Tuva National Theater.

This journey deepened my connection to Tuvan culture and inspired a future collaborative project between Turkey and Tuva. Sharing common roots, Tuvan and Turkish people have much in common, and I aim to strengthen our cultural bonds through music.

THE ARCHE DUO

Irina Solinas and Ceren Türkmenoğlu are acclaimed musical artists from Italy and Turkey, respectively, with roots in classical music and a passion for world music, particularly folk traditions from their home countries and Central Asia. Their artistic vision transcends traditional genres, celebrating cultural fusion.

The duo first collaborated in 2018 at the Global Musicianship Workshop by the Silkroad Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma, and their shared enthusiasm has led to performances at various music festivals across Europe.

The Arche Duo

Core principles:

A holistic approach to music - embracing music as a global expression transcending borders
Exhibiting a wide array of repertoire - bridging from early music to contemporary, and from traditional to classical
Improvisation - creating a personal musical expression
Original music - performing compositions by the duo
Timbral variety - featuring traditional and classical instruments
Creating an interactive space with the audience through pre-concert talks and discussions
Collaborations - working with artists from other disciplines

Available to book for:

Concerts - performances
Open rehearsals for audiences
Pre-concert talks and discussions
University events
Workshops

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