Hıdırellez w/ Gülay & Duble Salih

All over the world, Turkish communities celebrate the beginning of spring with Hıdırellez, an age-old tradition that remains very much alive, especially in rural areas and smaller towns. Homes are thoroughly cleaned, families and friends come together, and people eat, make music, and enjoy themselves outdoors. It is one of the most important seasonal festivals in many countries and regions. Many people in Ghent with Turkish roots also celebrate this holiday.

This year, we are unfortunately not organizing an open-air event, but instead a slightly more modest indoor edition in De Centrale. Modest in space, but certainly not in content — and with the added advantage that we are not dependent on the weather gods.

So join us in celebrating the beginning of spring and let yourself be carried away by the music. Everyone is welcome!

Concert Programme

• Duble Salih
• Gülay

Duble Salih

Salih Nâzım Peker and Salih Korkut Peker form the acoustic duo Duble Salih.
They perform folk music from Anatolia (Asia Minor) and Rumelia (the southeastern Balkans), mainly using the cümbüş and divane: relatively young but now indispensable instruments in Turkish folk music. Their sound intertwines traditional melodies with influences from rembetiko, flamenco, blues and bluegrass, always in pure acoustic arrangements.

Salih Nazım Peker: divane, cura & vocals
Salih Korkut Peker: cümbüş, acoustic guitar & vocals

Gülay

Gülay broke through in 2000 with her album Damlalar, which reached a wide audience. Her rendition of the Azeri classic “Sen Gelmez Oldun” became especially beloved. With her warm voice and exceptional sensitivity, she creates an atmosphere that fits perfectly with the spirit of Hıdırellez.

Gülay: vocals
Kemal Akdemir: kaval
Koray Çatal: bağlama
Ömür Arslan: percussion
Dersim Çelik: keyboard