Download - Eskiflehir International Yunus Emre Art Week filetime, is part of the Eskiflehir International Yunus Emre Culture and Art Week and is sponsored by the Governorship of Eskiflehir

Eskiflehir Yunus Emre Sufi Music Festival, which is taking place this year for the first

time, is part of the Eskiflehir International Yunus Emre Culture and Art Week and is

sponsored by the Governorship of Eskiflehir.

Eskiflehir has been home to many cultures since the dawn of human history. It was also

the city of the great Sufi poet Yunus Emre, one of the founders of Anatolian Sufism

along with two other contemporary figures, Mevlana Jelaladdin Rumi and Haci Bektash.

This Festival, named after Yunus Emre, aims to introduce Sufi musical traditions and

to implement mutual understanding and interaction between Muslim communities to

the fullest level. Additionally, Yunus Emre Sufi Music Festival seeks to emphasize the

unparalleled diversity Sufi traditions gained through cultural cross-pollination with local

cultures in various regions throughout history. In this first year of the Festival, it is also

intended to emphasize musicality of "zikir" tradition as a vocal art form and stress on

the significance of women in Sufi traditions.

This event is prepared with the ambition and hope that it will continue as a reputable

festival in the future.

Eskiflehir Yunus Emre Sufi Music Festival Organization Committee

Mehmet K›l›çlar (Governor of Eskiflehir, Head of Eskiflehir Yunus Emre Foundation for

Culture, Art and Tourism )

Nurullah Naci Kalkanc› (Deputy Governor)

Soner fienel (Mahmudiye Provincial Governor, Director of Eskiflehir Yunus Emre Foundation

for Culture, Art and Tourism)

Ali Osman Gül (Director, Eskiflehir Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism)

Dr. Timuçin Çeviko¤lu (Ministry of Culture Artist, Festival Artistic Director)

ESK‹fiEH‹R YUNUS EMREULUSLARARASI TASAVVUF MÜZ‹KLER‹ FEST‹VAL‹

INTERNATIONAL SUFI MUSIC FESTIVAL02-07 May›s / May 2011

EskiflehirInternationalYunus EmreCulture andArt Weekwww.yunusemre.gov.tr

www.yunusemrefest.com

Gnawa music mixes classical Islamic Sufism with pre-Islamic African traditions, whether

local or sub-Saharan. As Islam spread through North Africa, it also incorporated many

older beliefs and traditions of the region. In this respect, the practices of Gnawa have

striking similarities to possession and healing rituals of former Animist rites where fast

paced, rhythmic music and acrobatic dances were used to create a hypnotic trance

state. The Gnawa ritual meeting is called derdeba. Similar to many other Sufi rituals,

the music played during derdeba is very repetitive. The main instrument is guembri

(also called sintir, tidinit or hajhuj in different regions) played by the leader, called the

maalem (master musician) in the vernacular. Large, metal cymbals called krakebs and

various drums called tbel are played by the accompanists. They also repeat the maalem's

lines, thereby serving as a chorus.

Born in 1961, Maalem Hamid el Kasri comes from a family of long line of Gnawa musicians

from the town of Ksar el-Kebir (hence the nickname Kasri) in northern Morocco. He was

initiated to this music at an early age in his family and later became not only a master

of this style but also a virtuoso on the guembri. He has performed all over the world

at a variety of occasions and festivals.

Gnawa

Maâlem Hamid el KasriMOROCCO

Monday, May 2nd 2011ESK‹fiEH‹R YUNUS EMREULUSLARARASI TASAVVUF MÜZ‹KLER‹ FEST‹VAL‹INTERNATIONAL SUFI MUSIC FESTIVAL02-07 May›s / May 2011



Mayotte is an island in the Comorros Archipelago, a set of islands between Continental

Africa and Madagascar. Islam was first introduced to the Comorros with the arrival of

Arab navigators voyaging between the islands and the mainland. The encounter between

the local Bantu civilization and Arab civilization gave birth to the Swahili culture.

Debaa is a Muslim cultural practice in Mayotte, that is exclusively feminine, a mixture

of music and dance based on Qasida. It has become an occasion to rejoice and share

moments of happiness for women. Adorned in their most beautiful jewelry and wearing

their best robes, women perform with movements of the head and the arms that

correspond to very elegant figures.

The themes of debaa are those of mystic poems, such as: the invocation of Allah,

glorifying the Prophet, the praise of saintly men, reminders of ethically moral behavior,

love, et cetera. These same poems are accompanied on drums and declaimed during

commemorative ceremonies of the Mawlid, the birth of the Prophet.

The ensemble Deba, carrying the same name as the tradition they put on stage, consists

of 13 female musicians from Mayotte. They had a pioneering role in making this tradition

known as a musical from around the world.

Deba

DebaMAYOTTE

Tuesday, May 3rd 2011ESK‹fiEH‹R YUNUS EMREULUSLARARASI TASAVVUF MÜZ‹KLER‹ FEST‹VAL‹INTERNATIONAL SUFI MUSIC FESTIVAL02-07 May›s / May 2011



Qawwali is a musical form developed to convey religious message through music withthe intention of achieving closeness to God by creating a state of trance. The texts areusually chosen from the poetry of sufi masters and they commonly deal with conceptslike divine love (ishq), the sorrow of separation (hijr, firaq) and the union (visal). Theqawwal often dwell on one phrase or sentence, indicating both the obvious and hiddencontent by emphasizing and repeating various words and syllables, taking the audienceinto the discovery of hitherto not obvious meanings. Sentences are repeated until allthe meaning is exhausted and words becomes meaningless. It is often this element thattranscends linguistic barriers. At this point, qawwal speaks not through the words butthrough the universal language of music which in this case is characterized by strongvoices and a rhythm getting faster and faster as listeners get closer to the state oftrance.

As it is performed today, a Qawwali ensemble usually consists of 9-12 men including alead singer, one or two side singers, one or two harmoniums, and a percussion, usuallytabla. Music begins gently and builds steadily to a very high energy level. Qawwali songsare classified according to the content of the poetry.

The music of Mehr Ali & Sher Ali Qawwal Ensemble has its origins with the Talvandiclassical school of Hindustani music. Ustad (Master) Mehr Ali and Ustad Sher Ali wereborn in the Pakistani border-town of Kasur in the early 1950s and received their earliertraining in classical music from their father. Their father then became the disciple ofFateh Ali Khan, the father of the famous Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Mehr Ali and Sher Alithus acknowledge the family of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as their "Ustad Gharan" or "TeacherHouse", a term imbued with veneration among musician circles in Pakistan and NorthIndia.

Qawwali

Mehr Ali &Sher Ali QawwalPAKISTAN

ESK‹fiEH‹R YUNUS EMREULUSLARARASI TASAVVUF MÜZ‹KLER‹ FEST‹VAL‹INTERNATIONAL SUFI MUSIC FESTIVAL02-07 May›s / May 2011



Wednesday, May 4th 2011

Sufi Music & Dances

Sanggar Seni SeulaweuetINDONESIA




In addition to its unique blend of local, Indian, Chinese and Islamic influences,

the extraordinarily diverse society of Indonesia is also home to the world's

largest Muslim population. Although it is widespread throughout the

archipelago, the heart of Islamic culture is the island of Sumatra, and

especially the Aceh province in the North. Due to the diverse culture

inherited from the Hindu-Buddhist era as well as many elements of local

tradition, Islam in Indonesia has developed a rich and colorful accent.

In Aceh, there are several dances and songs, like Seudati, Tari Saman and

Rapai Geleng. These are performed at different occasions or rituals.

Although there are differences between them, they all originate from zikir,

the Islamic meditative prayer. They share certain traits like call-response

style of singing, repetitive songs and an increasing rhythmic speed. Also

striking is the similarity of these traditions to the local non-Islamic traditions

such as the Gamelan. Both styles are mainly percussive and performed by

large ensembles. In addition, in Gamelan as well as styles originating from

zikir, different parts are played and/or sung by sub-groups in the ensemble.

The whole of the ensemble, creating together, establishes the music.

Hailing from Aceh, Sanggar Seni Seulaweuet, led by Said Rahmat, is dedicated

to the preservation and dissemination of Acehnese traditional music and

dance. They seek to create and increase awareness both in Indonesia and

abroad. Having performed at a variety of occasions in Malaysia, China, USA

and Turkey, the group is also a school for Acehnese youth to learn the rich

culture of the region. Joining the festival with 18 musicians and dancers,

this group will present several different dances of the region.

Wednesday, May 2th 2011

Thursday, May 5th 2011

The essence of Persian classical music can perhaps best be traced in the mystical poetry

of Iran. Throughout the long history of Iran, Iranians have expressed their philosophical

and artistic understanding of the world through poetry and music. The Dastgâh system

of Persian classical music, Radif, is developed based on the meter of Persian poetry in

an abstract way to accompany and help shed light on the mystical world of poetry. If

Ghazal is the crown jewel of Persian poetry forms, music based on the Radif is the best

form to bring out the mystery of the Ghazal. Phrases in the Persian Classical Music were

developed to best convey the message of the poet who uses metaphors and mysticism

to describe his or her world. Uneven length of phrases and rhythmic cycles are designed

especially for this purpose.

Mohammad Reza Lotfi is one of the greatest contemporary masters of the târ and setâr.

He is among the major figures who, in the past twenty years, have revolutionized the

Persian traditional (classical) music. His innovative approach of combining the classical

with folk elements, both in terms of music and technique, has injected a new vitality

into a very old tradition. His original creativity and the deep-rooted emotional quality

of his playing have made him the father of a new aesthetics in Persian music.

PersianClassical Sufi Music

Mohammad Reza Lotfi& Shayda EnsembleIRAN




Friday, May 6th 2011

Dr. Timuçin Çeviko¤luFestival Art Director+90 539 859 [email protected]

The literal meaning of the word “Semâ” is “to hear”. For Mevlevi dervishes,

it carries the added meaning of being enraptured while listening to music,

being in motion and whirling. It symbolically refers to the creation of the

universe and humankind’s coming into being. It also refers to one’s acting on

both her love for the Grand Creator and on the perception of her station as

servant of that creator while maturing into the “Perfect Man”.

Semâ is a zikir said silently while whirling on foot. The whirling dervishes

silently call “Allah” inwardly on every whirl.

Currently directed by Yusuf Kayya, Konya Turkish Sufi Music ensemble

specializes on Mevlevi Music and the Sema Ceremony. It was established in

1991. The Ensemble has continued to perform Sema Ceremony on Shab-i Arus

and other periodic performances every year since its establishment. In addition

to Sema Ceremony, group will present sufi music with Yunus Emre’s poems

in their performance in the festival.

Sufi Music withYunus Emre Poems& Sema (Whirling) Ceremony

Konya State TurkishSufi Music EnsembleTURKEY




Saturday, May 7th 2011

Download - Eskiflehir International Yunus Emre Art Week filetime, is part of the Eskiflehir International Yunus Emre Culture and Art Week and is sponsored by the Governorship of Eskiflehir

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