Accompanied on the oud/ud by Nicolas Royer-Artuso, the master Fikret Karakaya will demonstrate the richness of Ottoman melodies and the modes specific to this music, as well as the art of ornamentation, through his playing of the kemençe, a small lyre with a powerful sound. This exceptional concert will be a tribute to the great composers of the Ottoman era and to the art of improvisation (taksim).

Firket Karakaya is a singer, kemençe and çeng player, composer, musicologist, writer and instrument maker. Until his retirement, he was a musician and presenter for TRT (Turkey’s national radio station). He is the founder and director of the Bezmara Ensemble, which has been invited to perform in many countries, and has eleven albums to its credit.
Nicolas Royer-Artuso is a composer, musician (oud, electronic violin and fretless guitar), linguist, musicologist and writer. His work has been presented in Germany, England, Armenia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, France, Georgia, Holland, Italy, Lebanon, Lithuania, Poland, Turkey and the United States.