Feryal Başel Tüzün, soloist of the Turkish World Music and Dance Ensemble of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in ANKARA, contributes to the survival of the common cultural heritage by performing melodies from different geographies of the Turkish world.
Feryal Başel Tüzün, who graduated from Gazi University, Faculty of Communication, Department of Journalism, studied at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory Choir Department and studied singing for 7 years, can sing works in different dialects of the Turkish world with the ensemble she joined in 2002. Tüzün, who sings melodies in different dialects, especially Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, Uyghur and Tatar, performs with a wide repertoire extending from Central Asia to the Balkans, from Siberia to the geography where Iraqi Turkmens live. Tüzün, who gives concerts in different geographies, especially in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan, contributes to the preservation of the common cultural heritage of the Turkish world.
‘WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE SAME FAMILY IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES’
Explaining that he was far from this field when he met the music of the Turkish world, Tüzün said, “We are the children of the same family, the same mother, from different geographies. We have a lot of common culture. This is also reflected in the music. If we listen a little, we will understand. We sing in all dialects of Turkish. I always say Central Asia, but we are not just talking about the republics. We can also talk about different Turkish geographies within the Russian Federation. Apart from our 5 republics, Tuva, Altai, Khakas, Tatarstan, Bashkortostan. “If we go a little further east, China, the Uyghur region, the Balkans, of course, as well as the surroundings of Kirkuk, Mosul and Erbil, which we call Turkmeneli, we sing countless songs and folk songs in all the music and all dialects of our vast ancient geography,” he said.
‘CULTURAL UNIONS GO FROM HEART TO HEART’
Stating that music is at the heart of cultural partnership, Tüzün said, “Economic unions and political unions may take time. Diplomats really need to work for it. And this develops in line with the interests of the countries. But cultural unions go from heart to heart. That is why the bond we establish is so direct and fast. When I went to those geographies, for example in Uzbekistan, when we sang Uzbek verses, they listened to me with great pleasure. Was I as good as them? Of course I was not. But a “As Anatolian Turks, performing their works and giving concerts with those pieces in Anatolian lands in this country is very valuable for those geographies, because we are their doors to the world. Therefore, we need to continue knowing and feeling the importance of this. This is exactly the mission of our community, and I feel very happy for this, I am proud of both my community and our ministry.”
‘OUR CONCERTS WILL CONTINUE’
Cem Gürdal, artistic director of Ankara Turkish World Music and Dance Ensemble, said, “We compile the music and dances of all Turkish-speaking geographies in the world, note them, and try to stage the appropriate ones. We try to be the voice of all dialects, all dialects of Turkish, and communities in the world. It is always busy, but since there is an Organization of Turkic States Summit in Ankara these days and the leaders of all Turkic Republics will gather in Ankara, we have an event in Ankara almost every day. “Our concerts related to this summit will continue at the Presidential Complex and other places on October 28, 29 and 30,” he said.
