Erkan Zeki Ar
He started his music career by playing the guitar during his high school years. During this period, he took the stage at various festivals. The artist, who met jazz at the university, continued his music studies in addition to his Sociology undergraduate education at Marmara University. He had the opportunity to work with names such as Nezih Yeşilnil and Dave Allen. After completing his undergraduate education, he started to make music professionally.
Erkan Zeki Ar, performing on various stages since 2017, released his first album "Contrast" in February 2018. The artist, who started the Master of Music and Performing Arts program at Yıldız Technical University in the same year, continued to take part in various projects as an accompanist during this process. The second album project, which he started working on in 2019 and released his first single "Tecelli" in January 2020, has come to an end in March 2020.
The artist spends the pandemic period by creating new projects, producing, arranging, researching sound technologies and writing a master's thesis on music production processes.
Baturay Yarkın was born in a family, full of generations of musicians.
He resides in İstanbul, where had been a historical and cultural center of
the various civilizations.
When he was 6, he won first place of Istanbul University State
Conservatory, Department of Classical Piano part time program. When
he was 13, he trained with his teacher Meral Yapalı for European Young
Pianists Competition and he came in 3rd place. He headed to Turkish
Music, Argentina Tango and Jazz Music during his study and after his
graduation.
He joined Yarkın Turkish Rhythm Group whom he accompanied national
and international events during his high school days. He accompanied to
the band for an event organized for the cultural events of “2013 Turkish
– China Year” at the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Symphony Orchestra in
China. He gave a special concert at Aya Irini for the event of “Ara
Dinkjian and His Friends” in 2011. He improved his skills on playing
with musicians who played fretless instruments during that time.
His tango and jazz passion took him to Rotterdam Conservatory, Codarts;
where he expanded his knowledge in world & jazz music and collaborated
with international musicians first time. He contributed to Şevval Sam’s
2013 album called “Tango”. He played Argentinean tango songs in various
concert halls in Netherlands with the tango orchestra assembled by Leo
Vervelde. He played at CRR at the “A New Year’s Concert from Louis
Armstrong to Astor Piazzolla”. “Tangueros de Estambul” was debut album
of “TangEsta” which recorded Argentinean Tangos.
After being admitted with scholarship to BAU Jazz Enstitute in İstanbul,
he played with his jazz trio and Nağme Yarkın as a young jazz artist at
Istanbul Jazz Festival in 2014. He attended 44th Pulawy Jazz in 2014,
New York Jazz in 2015 and Eric Alexander, Greg Ozby and Barry Harris
workshops in 2016. He represented Codarts at the “Pop and Jazz
Platform, 2016 Rotterdam” event organized by Association Européenne
des Conservatoires.
The artist worked with world-known musicians such as Sandeep Das,
Wu Man and Shane Shanahan joining Silk Road’s (established by Yo
YoMa) Global Musician Workshop with scholarship in 2017. He gave
special concerts in Milano as Silk Road Global Musician European
Ambassador in 2017 and 2018. He was invited to U.S.A. to perform as
Yarkın Duo and give workshops by Silk Road’s GMW in 2018.
He and his sister, Nağme Yarkın decided to collaborate together,
launched Yarkın Duo in 2016 and published their debut album One in
2017. Musicians interprete their compositions and arrangements based
on their different accumulations which have important cultural
backgrounds. They played together in several continents interpreting
their repertoire which consists Argentine tangos, Turkish folk music,
their compositions and improvisations. He represented Turkey with
Yarkın Duo during 1. TURfest, Turkey Festival, in Croatia. The artist
gave a special concert at 17. Boston Turkish Film Festival and Turkish
Music Workshop at Berklee College of Music within the festival as
Yarkın Duo. They held the opening concert of 1. Turquazz Anatolian
Jazz & Roots Festival in London, England. They improvised and
produced music for the worldwide mobile application, Meditation.
He gave 15 concerts with his band Baturay Yarkın Trio & Nağme Yarkın
within his project The Colors of Anatolia, which combines Jazz and
Turkish music and was sponsored by Republic of Turkey Ministry
Culture and Tourism, in 15 universities in various cities in Turkey. The
Colors of Anatolia was in 2018-19 concert program of Borusan Music
House. The Colours of Anatolia was on stage at Sporting Monte Carlo in
a private event before Tarkan show in 2020.
He worked with a myriad of musicians such as Sandeep Das, Wu Man,
Derya Türkan, Erkan Oğur, Arto Tunçboyacıyan, Gustavo Beytelmann,
Halil Karaduman, Yurdal Tokcan, Ara Dinkjian, Sokratis Sinopoulos,
Mahala Rai Banda, Koçani Orkestar, Fahrettin Yarkın, Ferruh Yarkın
and well-known jazz musicians from Turkey.
The artist, also a graduate of Marmara University, Department of
Industrial Engineering, has completed his master with “The examination
of piano performance in tango music in terms of Carlos Di Sarli, Anibal
Troilo and Horacio Salgan” at ITU Music Theory and Composition
Department while working in national and international events.
His five personal albums are available on music markets and digital
platforms. He is currently teaching jazz piano & theory in the jazz
department of İstanbul University State Conservatory during his Ph.D.
studying.