Çetin Akdeniz | Masterclass bağlama

De Centrale organizes, in cooperation with the Istanbul Conservatory (İTÜ or İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi) and the Muzikantenhuis van Gent, a bağlama festival for the third time. The program includes concerts, workshops and master classes with both masters and young talents from Turkey and Belgium.

The bağlama, often called 'saz' by us, is an ancient string instrument from the lute family. The bağlama is one of the most popular instruments in the traditional folk scene of Turkey. No folk dance from Anatolia or folk song from the rich Alevi tradition without the graceful 'neckline', as the instrument is also called. The instrument has 'tied' wires ('bağlamak' means 'to bind') ferrets that are movable according to the scale in which the music is written. The 'saz' can be played with both the plectrum and the fingers. Since 2015 you can also learn bağlama in a number of Flemish music schools.