Kadıköy Municipality Pandemic Orchestra takes the stage

ISTANBUL

Kadıköy Municipality Pandemic Orchestra, which was formed by Kadıköy Municipality to support musicians who have no income during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have gone through an economically difficult process, took the stage for the first time on Dec. 7.

At the concert, which took place at Kadıköy Süreyya Opera, Rengin Gökmen conducted the orchestra, while pianist İdil Biret accompanied the orchestra as a soloist.

Gökmen stated that the performing arts have always suffered the biggest blow during difficult times and that many artists supported this concert without waiting for a return.

“Tonight, you will witness the concert of a very special orchestra. As we all know, not only our country but the world has been going through extremely traumatic days for a very long time. We hope that this negative environment will come to an end in the very near future, but while still experiencing the toughest moments of those pandemic conditions, we are here with such a concert,” he said.

Kadıköy Mayor Şerdil Dara Odabaşı emphasized that they organized the concert to support the musicians who were in trouble. “The biggest food source of the artist is applause. Thank you very much for coming here and not depriving them of this applause.”

Works of Johann Sebastian Bach, Tomaso Albinoni and Armağan Durdağ were performed during the event, which lasted about an hour.

Kadıköy Municipality Pandemic Orchestra will take the stage again with Oğuzhan Balcı and Gökhan Aybulus on Jan. 4, 2021, Gürer Aykal and Bülent Yazıcı on Feb. 8, 2021, İbrahim Yazıcı and Gülsin Onay on March 8, 2021, and Cihat Aşkın and Hakan Şensoy on March 29, 2021.