Blogs

Who is Ali Şenozan? Ali Şenozan was born on June 7, 1939, in Adana, Turkey. He completed his primary education at İnkılâp Primary School and continued his studies at Tepebağ Secondary School and Adana Boys' High School. His musical journey began during his secondary school years, when he studied music theory, rhythm, and makam (modal system in Turkish classical music) under Arif Nihat Aka. He later became his assistant and founded the Adana Boys’ High School Choir, which he also directed.

He was born in 1956 in Eskişehir, Turkey. In 1980, he graduated from the Turkish Music State Conservatory of Istanbul Technical University (ITU). Twelve of his compositions have been awarded in various national Turkish music composition contests organized by different institutions. Additionally, 62 of his works have been accepted into the TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation) Repertoire.

Prof. Dr. Ali Maruf Alaskan was born on January 21, 1971, in Diyarbakır, Turkey. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. During his high school years, he began learning traditional Turkish instruments such as the bağlama, cümbüş, and oud. In 1990, he joined the Turkish Music Choir of the Diyarbakır Governorship as an oud performer. There, he studied Turkish Music Solfeggio and Theory under the guidance of composer and choir conductor Edvan Kengil, and performed in numerous concerts with the choir.

Yusuf Koçak was born in 1955 in Yozgat, Turkey. He graduated from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the Ankara State Academy of Architecture and Engineering. During his professional career spanning over 25 years, he worked at Etibank as a project engineer, project coordinator, and chief engineer.

Ali Kerim Öner is an academician and oud artist lives in Ankara-Türkiye. He studied his Phd about music therapy. He was firstly lecturer at Aksaray University after than he worked as an Assistant Professor there. He is now Associated Proffesor at Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University Turkish Music Conservatory. He teachs oud and theoratical construction of maqams. He researched on ‘Right Hand Preparing Tecnique” on oud and published as an article. In addition to academics he attanded to international oud festivals and concerts. He is married and has two children.

Onnik Garibyan, born in Thessaloniki, was an Armenian oud maker. He learned the craft of oud making from his older brother, Mıgırdıç, and also collaborated with Kirkor Kahya. Examination of the labels on some of his surviving ouds reveals the inscription "Hamza Usta and Onnik Garibyan," indicating that he also benefited from the expertise of Master Hamza. While his exact date of death is unknown, the most recent dated oud attributed to him is from 1976.

Manol Emmanuel Venios is recognized as one of the most famous and finest oud makers of the Ottoman era. He was born in 1845 in Ortaköy, Istanbul, and was of Greek origin. His first profession was furniture polishing. Later, he worked as a carpenter and eventually began crafting musical instruments in 1870. Master Manol specialized in making ouds and lavtas, and his reputation in oud craftsmanship has earned him a place among the greatest in history, with some even considering him the best. His most renowned apprentices include Hamza Usta, Bahriyeli Mustafa, and Victor de Kavalla.

Luthier and Physics Engineer Emir Değirmenli was born in 1981 in Kırklareli, Turkey.

Ender Göktepe, born in 1952 in Ankara, spent his early years of education in Istanbul. After completing high school, he returned to his hometown, Ankara. His father, Sabri Göktepe, a world-renowned oud maker, always supported him during his studies at Ulus School of Arts, guiding him throughout his journey. Growing up among talented musicians was a significant advantage for Ender Göktepe. His father’s guidance and support played a crucial role in shaping his career.