Following the masterclass organized in May 2025 in Ayvalik in partnership with Drom Akademi (France) for twenty musicians from France, we are continuing our “Meshk on the Aegean Sea” workshop series.
In October, in the heart of Ayvalik’s old town, a jewel of the Aegean coast, we are organizing three days of workshops at our residency venue dedicated to the folk music of Türkiye.
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The workshops will be led by three major figures of the Turkish music scene: Okay Temiz (percussion), Gülcan Kaya (vocals), and Salih Korkut Peker (strings).
This program aims to transmit a rich cultural heritage to new generations through the guidance of leading artists. It seeks to strengthen instrumental technique while deepening participants’ understanding of a specific repertoire and musical style.
The workshops are open to anyone with musical practice, whether beginner, intermediate, or advanced. The detailed program appears below.
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Over the course of three days, participants will refine their skills through group and collective workshops. At the end of the program, they will put into practice the repertoire and performance techniques developed during the sessions through a “Meshk” on the stage of Frans Bistro.
As part of the “Meshk on the Aegean Sea” program, the three virtuosos Okay Temiz, Gülcan Kaya, and Salih Korkut Peker will give a concert entitled “Masters’ Night” at Fabrika Ayvalik. Participants will have the opportunity to experience this unique stage encounter up close.
This intensive training program, resonating with melodies from different regions of Türkiye, is structured around three complementary pillars: workshops (training), meshk (collective practice and sharing), and concert (“Masters’ Night”). It offers participants a rich, immersive, and diverse experience.
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Why “Meshk”?
Music is not only a form of stage performance; it is also a means of transmission. In this spirit, CaféTurc Music & Arts develops educational programs and offers workshops and masterclasses for professional musicians as well as anyone engaged in musical practice.
In Turkish music, meşk (pronounced “meshk”) is a centuries-old method of transmission. It is based on listening, observation, and learning directly from master musicians through practice.
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DETAILED PROGRAM
Schedule
• Friday, October 2 | Workshop
• Saturday, October 3 | Workshop and evening concert “Masters’ Night” at Fabrika Ayvalik
• Sunday, October 4 | Workshop and evening “Meshk” at Frans Bistro
Workshop Schedule
• 09:30-12:30: Group workshop
• 14:00-16:00: Group workshop
• 16:30-17:30: Collective workshop (percussion, vocals, and strings)
Workshop Venues
• Karagöz Art Center
• Baykuş
• Frans Bistro
Level
• Open to all levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
Registration
• Limited places
• Fee: €250
• Registration deadline: September 1, 2026
• Accommodation: three partner guesthouses offer preferential rates to participants. Detailed information below.
• Registration form: : GoogleForm link
NSTRUCTORS AND PEDAGOGICAL CONTENT
OKAY TEMIZ
Percussion: Rhythms of Türkiye, the Balkans, Africa, Brazil
An internationally acclaimed figure in world music and jazz, Okay Temiz has developed pioneering projects at the crossroads of Eastern music traditions and jazz since the 1960s. With his ensemble Oriental Wind, he left a lasting mark on the history of European jazz. His creativity and percussion school continue to inspire generations of musicians.
• Open to all percussion instruments (darbuka, drum set, djembe, bongo, bendir, def, cajón, etc.)
• Participants bring their own instrument.
GÜLCAN KAYA
Vocals: Turkish Folk Music
Artist and academic Gülcan Kaya began her career in 1993 as a singer at the Turkish National Radio and Television in Istanbul. Renowned for her interpretations of folk songs collected throughout Anatolia, she is considered one of the most distinctive and radiant voices in Türkiye. She has performed extensively in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Portugal. She teaches at Haliç Conservatory, where she founded the Department of Turkish Folk Music.
SALIH KORKUT PEKER
Strings: A Fusion of Traditional Techniques and Western Styles
Salih Korkut Peker began his professional musical career in 1998. His approach combines Anatolian performance techniques with the rhythms, melodies, and harmonies of Western genres such as blues, rock, funk, and even metal. He performs with originality and virtuosity on hybrid instruments including the cümbüş, fretless guitar, çağlama, and divane. Living between Izmir and London, he performs in Türkiye and internationally with Duble Salih, Yasak Helva, and Çalgıya İzmir, while also leading educational workshops.
• Open to all string instruments (bağlama, oud, bouzouki, guitar, bass guitar, cümbüş, lavta, etc.)
• Participants bring their own instrument.
ACCESS AND ACCOMMODATION
How to reach Ayvalik?
• By air: via Izmir or Edremit airports, then transfer by minibus or taxi to Ayvalik
• By road: by bus or car from Istanbul or İzmir
Where to stay in Ayvalik?
Ayvalik, an Aegean town with an authentic atmosphere, is home mainly to small guesthouses nestled among its 3,500 listed Greek and Ottoman historic buildings.
Three guesthouses are partners of the “Meshk on the Aegean Sea” program. Friendly and located in the town center, just a two or three-minute walk from the workshop venues, they offer preferential rates to participants.
Upon registration, we can put you directly in touch with Tante Rosa, Chez Nebahat, and Rebetiko Ayvalik so that you may benefit from these special rates.
CAFÉTURC MUSİC & ARTS: WHO ARE WE?
Founded in Paris in 1996 and establisehd in France and Türkiye, CaféTurc Music & Arts promotes Turkish virtuoso musicians and showcases the richness of Türkiye’s musical traditions on the international stage, from folk music and jazz to Turkish classical music and contemporary creations.
Since 1996, we have produced and presented hundreds of performances in prestigious venues including the Philharmonie de Paris, Ronnie Scott’s (London), Sziget Festival (Budapest), Paris City Theatre), Half Note (Athens), SESC (São Paulo), Lyon Opera, Evora Classica Festival (Lisbon), the Sacred Music Festival (India), MUCEM (Marseille) …
In 2005, CaféTurc opened the doors of the Karagöz Art Center, an artist residency space located in the beautiful town of Ayvalik on the shores of the Aegean Sea, dedicated to artistic creation and transmission.
MASTERCLASS – MAY 2025
A look back in pictures at the masterclass we organized in Ayvalik in May 2025, in partnership with Drom Akademi (France), for twenty professional musicians from France: link
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