OUR SONGS
Anatolian Folk Songs at the Opera with Tuncer Tercan and Ömer Yılmaz

Saturday, May 24, 2003, 8:30 pm
Merkin Concert Hall
129 West 67th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues
(212) 501-3330
Tickets: $25, $20

Complementing one another on both vocals and bağlama (long-necked lute), tenor Ömer Yılmaz and baritone Tuncer Tercan will perform from a repertoire that combines traditional Anatolian folk music with Western operatic vocal techniques. The duo’s rapport with the audience was evidenced by several standing ovations at their last New York show (part of MayFest 2002), and the Moon and Stars Project is delighted to welcome them back for an exciting evening of live music.

Yılmaz and Tercan describe their repertoire of solo and polyphonic folk music as a synthesis of folk and operatic styles. Both musicians are vocalists of the prestigious Ankara State Opera and also play bağlama, a folk instrument with three double strings that is played with a plectrum. The combination of two different operatic vocals and the bağlama—an instrument that dates back at least a thousand years—have attracted both world and classical music lovers. Yılmaz and Tercan are currently working on a debut album featuring their unique approach to Anatolian folk songs that is scheduled for release later this year.