Avi Avital & Derya Yıldırım

Derya Yıldırım, Bağlama & Voice
Avi Avital, Mandolin
Ensemble Resonanz

Two lute instruments, two worlds, two artists—each deeply rooted in distinct traditions. Derya Yıldırım, Avi Avital, and Ensemble Resonanz come together to explore the connections between Baroque, Anatolian songs, and contemporary chamber music. They craft an evening that reimagines traditions, weaves stories, and builds musical bridges—between past and present, East and West.

»Folk music is not nostalgia. It is movement, change, expression—a mirror of society.« This belief shapes Derya Yıldırım’s music: songs that are passed down, reinterpreted, and continually redefined. Her voice and the bağlama speak of longing and resistance, migration and identity—sometimes delicate and melancholic, sometimes powerful and electrifying.

Avi Avital, on the other hand, has reestablished the mandolin as a classical concert instrument. Known for his virtuosic interpretations of Baroque and Italian music, his heart also beats for folk traditions—especially those of the Mediterranean.

Now, these two exceptional artists meet on stage for the first time—brought together by Ensemble Resonanz, which shares a close musical friendship with Derya Yıldırım and consistently pushes the boundaries of sonic experimentation. Together, they present a multifaceted program: Anatolian folk songs, both traditional and newly arranged for bağlama, mandolin, and strings; Baroque masterpieces from Locatelli to Vivaldi; and musical dialogues between past and present.

For this special evening, composer Taner Akyol has written a new piece that draws from the unique timbres of these instruments, blending them into something entirely new. A concert that transcends musical categories—direct, expressive, and deeply moving.