Youth orchestra to play at German fest

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The Turkish Youth Philharmonic Orchestra will play at the Beethoven Festival in Bonn. DHA photo

The Turkish Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (TUGFO) will be the guest orchestra at one of the most comprehensive festivals in Europe, the Beethoven Festival in Ludwig van Beethoven’s birthplace, Bonn. The orchestra will perform as part the festival’s Orchestra Campus section.

“There will be a large concert as well as educational concerts for children and cultural integration activities as part of the festival. Music will be composed together with German children in schools,” said the orchestra’s founder and chief conductor, Cem Mansur.

There will also be a short film competition, documenting TUGFO’s visit, as part of the festival, Mansur said, adding that the orchestra’s visit to Germany will take in more than just the festival.

“I don’t like the term ‘Western music.’ Classical music has Western origins, but it is a form of expression with proven universality. I tell my German friends Beethoven is mine but not yours, because it is more important to me.” Mansur is not in favor of synthesizing polyphonic music and Turkish classical music, which has become very common in recent years. “Eastern music is a source of inspiration for Western music. I am against the idea of synthesizing different types of music. It is unfair to both types of music. Western music does not need it and Eastern music does not need it, either.”

TUGFO is made up of 98 young musicians selected from among young Turkish conservatory students between the ages of 16 and 22. The orchestra has performed in many national and international festivals. New orchestra members are selected every year via an audition process, Mansur said.