“Düştüm Yola” is a music and education project which involves concerts of rarely or never-performed works by Turkish composers for solo violin and new works commissioned from young composers; and educational activities such as masterclasses and workshops for music students and slide lectures and lecture recitals for students of all ages by the acclaimed concert violinist and lecturer Orhan Ahıskal. As part of the initial aspect of the project, Ahıskal has performed solo works by A.A. Saygun, E.Z. Ün, I. Baran, M. Sun and F. Say and also premiered eight new works for solo violin since 2014.
Ahıskal’s choice of works for solo violin enables him to travel even to remote villages and venues, where no piano for accompaniment could be found. Ahıskal combines his performances with introductory talks about the history and theory of the works performed and these talks can also be organized as lectures independent from the recitals. Subjects of Ahıskal’s lectures vary from the History of Western Music in Turkey since 1826 to Baroque Performance Practices, from Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni to traditional Turkish aspects in the works of Turkish composers. With his project Ahıskal aims to bring concert music to places and people who have no access to concert music or regular performances.
Ahıskal, in addition to his performances as both a soloist and a conductor with orchestras and also as a chamber musician, has performed and lectured in more than a hundred locations as part of his Project “Düştüm Yola” and was recently named the String Performer of the Year in Turkey at the 6th National Donizetti Music Awards. A professor of music, Prof. Dr. Ahıskal’s work can be followed at his Facebook page Orhan Ahıskal – Official and the project’s webpage www.dustumyola.com