- BIST10012,151-0.94%
- USD49.34+0.24%
- EUR55.21-0.01%
- GOLD4,221.80+0.74%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN83,574+2.23%
- October 13, 202617°
- BIST10012,151-0.94%
- USD49.34+0.24%
- EUR55.21-0.01%
- GOLD4,221.80+0.74%
- INTEREST37.00%-1.00
- BITCOIN83,574+2.23%
- October 13, 202617°
American violinist Wozniak brings Turkish music together with different cultures
Hawaii-born violinist Audrey Wozniak has been learning Turkish music in Türkiye through the meşk tradition, local musicians and various projects since arriving in 2015. After completing her doctorate in ethnomusicology at Harvard University, Wozniak now divides her time between England, Istanbul and Rize.
Audrey Wozniak, who was born in Hawaii and later moved to Texas with her family during her childhood, began her musical training at the age of 6. After watching violinist Itzhak Perlman on the children's program Sesame Street, she turned to the violin with her family's support.
During her childhood and teenage years, Wozniak was raised on works by major Western composers such as Beethoven, Bach and Mozart. She spent a year studying in Japan during high school and began learning Chinese after that experience.
She explored the music of different cultures
After encountering the traditional music of Azerbaijan, the Uyghur Turks, China and Indonesia during her university years, Wozniak researched how the violin is used in different cultures and with different techniques. During this period, she met Iranian kamancheh player Kayhan Kalhor.
Wozniak came to Türkiye in 2015 after Kalhor recommended that she visit Istanbul, where she was introduced to ethnomusicology for the first time. She completed her doctorate in this field, which seeks to understand societies through music and sound, at Harvard University.
After completing her doctorate, Wozniak decided to remain in Türkiye in 2024 and now divides her time between England, Istanbul and Rize. Through her concerts, research and television programs, she aims to bring Turkish music together with different cultures.
She learned Turkish music through the meşk tradition
One of the things that caught Wozniak's attention during her early years in Türkiye was the meşk tradition. Seeing musicians drink tea and chat in one of her teachers' offices before taking out their instruments and performing pieces together allowed her to observe how Turkish music is learned and passed on differently from Western music.
Wozniak said that, before she knew Turkish, the intervals in microtonal music sounded unfamiliar to her. She also noted that although the violin has been part of Turkish music for more than 250 years, it is played with a different technique in Türkiye.
Wozniak, who is also interested in the kemenche of Black Sea music, said she was trying to learn the region's complex rhythms, ornaments and techniques. She added that she had also been influenced by the musical histories of Kırşehir and Elazığ, which date back thousands of years.
She performed a Neşet Ertaş piece at a solidarity concert
Wozniak said that the concert she was scheduled to give at the invitation of the Zurich Turkish Music Society was turned into a solidarity concert after it coincided with the period when the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş struck. She said she performed Neşet Ertaş's piece Neredesin Sen at the concert.
Wozniak said she understood Neşet Ertaş's importance after becoming acquainted with uzun hava, kırık hava and bozlak forms, and added that she greatly enjoyed performing the artist's works. She described the audience singing along with the pieces as the revival of a shared emotion.
Projects bringing Western and Turkish music together
Wozniak said Turkish music cannot easily be understood through explanation alone and that she tries to offer small examples in her work and on stage. The artist, who has taken part in projects combining Western and Turkish music, said she reflects the training she received in both musical traditions in her work as a different perspective.
Through the program Türkiye'yi Dinliyorum, which she prepared for TRT Music, Wozniak visited many regions of Türkiye and learned the local music from musicians in the areas she visited.
Wozniak said Türkiye's surroundings, ecology and historical position have influenced her. She associated England with duty, Istanbul with work and research, and Rize with enjoyment, ecology and peace. She said she feels comfortable, happy and safe in Türkiye.
Stay Updated with The Turkiye Times
Subscribe to be informed about special news, developments and announcements. We will keep you informed.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy
