Baturay Yarkın Trio feat. Nağme Yarkın
Baturay Yarkın; Born into a family of musicians, Baturay Yarkın began his music education at the age of 7 by winning first place in Istanbul University State Conservatory’s Part-Time Piano Department. He completed his 12-year part-time conservatory education with a bachelor’s degree. Under the guidance of Prof. Meral Yapalı, he prepared for the European Young Pianists Competition, earning third place in his age category. After obtaining his undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Marmara University, he started a master’s degree in Music Theory and Composition at Istanbul Technical University in 2013. Through Erasmus, he studied in the Jazz Music and World Music Academy’s Argentine Tango Music departments at Codarts University for the Arts in the Netherlands. In 2022, he completed his Doctorate/Proficiency in Art studies in the Music Department of Istanbul University State Conservatory. Between 2018 and 2024, he served as a lecturer in the Jazz Department of Istanbul University State Conservatory. He currently continues his work in Vancouver, Canada.
In addition to his academic work, he has held concerts and workshops in various cities across Turkey, Europe, the Far East, and the USA. He participated in Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Global Musician Workshop and performed concerts with Grammy-winning musicians. He performed with Ara Dinkjian at Aya Irini and with the Yarkın Turkish Rhythm Group in Beijing and Shanghai, China. In 2014, he performed with his trio at the Young Jazz stage of the 21st Istanbul Jazz Festival, earning acclaim. He has appeared at prestigious jazz festivals and concert halls in Turkey, including the Akbank Jazz Festival, Istanbul Jazz Festival, Borusan Music House, İş Sanat, CRR, and Salon IKSV. His hand molds were used in sculptures created with the theme “Hands that Touch Jazz” at the 26th Istanbul Jazz Festival. With his personal groups, he has performed in the USA, the Netherlands, the UK, Monaco, Italy, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Argentina (online), and Kazakhstan. With the album project Colors of Anatolia, supported by the Ministry of Culture’s Genç-Des initiative, he held explanatory concerts at 15 universities across Turkey, fulfilling a significant cultural mission. His discography includes eight solo albums and numerous collaborative albums.
Nağme Yarkın; Nağme Yarkın, who began music lessons at the age of 3 with piano, was born into a family of musicians. She graduated with a Master’s and Proficiency in Art degree from Istanbul University State Conservatory’s Composition Department.
Together with her brother, pianist Baturay Yarkın, she founded Yarkın Duo and Quartet, with whom she has performed at festivals from Europe to America, including workshops at Berklee College of Music. Since 2017, the duo has been giving concerts within Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Global Musician Workshop, playing their compositions and arrangements at their concerts and albums, continuing to explore jazz & Turkish music fusion and introducing the Istanbul kemenche (Turkish bowed instrument) to a global audience.
In 2013 and 2014, Yarkın performed in world tours with André Rieu. In 2022, she released “Künh,” the world’s first polyphonic Istanbul kemenche album featuring her original compositions. She also performed as a duo with prominent guitarist Erdem Sökmen, and their work was released as an album titled “Duende” by Ada Music in 2023. During the 2022-2023 season, she continued her studies at the University of Alberta in Canada as an invited instructor for one year. Since 2012, she has served as an Associate Professor at Istanbul University State Conservatory.
