MEHMET ALİ SANLIKOL

Dr. Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol (D.M.A, New England Conservatory) is the director of DUNYA organization and ensemble as well as being a compositor and jazz pianist. He had his studies in the Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory in the Jazz and Composition department and also obtained a master degree and a PHD. He has toured with his group Audio Fact all around USA, Europe and Middle East between 1996-2003 and recorded a CD. He has collaborated with George Russell, Bob Brookmeyer, Paul Bley, Horacio Œel Negro Hernandez, Tiger Okoshi, Okay Temiz and John Abercrombie. He teaches now at Emerson College in Boston. Theodoulos Vakanas (M.M., New England Conservatory) is one of the main factors creating this project. Greek Cypriot Theodoulos Vakanas plays Middle Eastern and Greek tunes in the concerts. Panayiotis League generally plays Irish, Greek and Turkish tunes and also studies Greek Literature in Hellenic College in Boston. Cem Mutlu performs jazz and world music in Boston. Engin Günaydın is a graduate of Bilkent University Music Department and now studies at Berklee Music College in the percussions department in Boston.

Musical Director: Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol: voice, oud, cura, zurna, ney Theodoulos Vakanas: violin and vocal Panayiotis League: kemençe, lyra, lavta, tradional drums, vocal Cem Mutlu: vocal and percussions.

MEHMET ALİ SANLIKOL
Mehmet started giving recitals at the age of 5. Until the year 1992, he constantly performed classical and contemporary music. Later on, he studied with Aydin Esen and won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music.

In his first year at Berklee, he was selected (among 3000 candidates) for Herb Pomeroy's special composition class. In 1996, Mr. Sanlikol toured Turkey as the ‘SANLIKOL GROUP’. In the following year, he founded the band AUDIOFACT with Onur Turkmen and toured Mexico, Argentina, the USA and Europe with Audio Fact. The same year, he received Berklee College of Music's Clare Fischer Award and completed his degree in Jazz Composition and Film Scoring. He also received a special award for one of his film scores and was voted best student of the year in Jazz Composition.

In the beginning of 1998, he was invited to New York to participate at the BMI Jazz Composer's Workshop. He toured Turkey and Cyprus with Audio Fact and released the CD “Black Spot”. In the year 2000 he graduated from New England Conservatory of Music with a Master's Degree in Jazz Composition.

In the year 2001 Mr. Sanlikol, along touring with Audio Fact, has started deepening his studies in Turkish music and since then he has performed as a singer and ud/duduk/zurna player in many concerts at venues such as; Harvard University, North-eastern University and New England Conservatory.

In the year 2002 Mehmet was commissioned to write a piece for PALS children’s chorus accompanied by Turkish instruments and a chamber orchestra. The piece, entitled ‘ERGENEKON’, was a big success. Boston Globe’s Richard Dyer wrote: “The music is colourful, fanciful, full of rhythmic life, and full of feelings. The multiculturalism is not touristy, but rather sophisticated, informed, internalized; Sanlikol is a citizen of the world”, “…and he (Sanlikol)is someone who could play decisive role in music’s future in the world.”

In the year 2003 Mr. Sanlikol has released the second CD, entitled ‘Asitane’, with AudioFact and has taught in the theory and music history departments of New England Conservatory.

In the year 2004 Mehmet completed his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Composition at the New England Conservatory and founded the organization 'Dunya' based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mr. Sanlikol has performed and toured with AudioFact, and Jazz stars such as Tiger Okoshi and Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez at numerous prestigious International Music Festivals, the Blue Note Jazz club in New York, Ryles Jazz club in Boston and etc. Recently, he is writing a book about the organization and the music of the Ottoman Janissary Bands.

9 July 2008  - Salamis Antique Theatre - 21.00