NECDET YASAR
Necdet Yasar is widely acknowledged as the grand master of the Turkish tanbur, the leading
instrument of Turkish classical music. Unrivalled in his improvisational taksim, he is famed for his
subtle reditions of the composed pesrev and saz semai. He is also known for his technical knowledge
of the makam system, in particular the intricate distinctions of melodic progression and microtonal
intonation. Mr. Yasar was the principal student of Mesut Cemil, who was the preeminent tanbur player of
his time and the son of Tanburi Cemil Bey, a tanbur and kemençe virtuoso. In fact, his link
back a few centuries to the greatest players of the Ottoman court is well documented. He has twice
been a resident artist in the Program of Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. He has
toured throughout the world as a concert artist and ambassdor of Turkish classical music, performing
in several countries in Europe, in East Asia and in North America. Recently named a Distinguished
National Artist, Mr. Yasar is the founder and director of the Istanbul State Turkish Music Ensemble.
Necdet Yasar is well known for his familiarity with all aspects of the Turkish musical repetory: classical,
sufi and modern. His ensemble, ideally composed of six musicians or more, is at ease with a repertory
that includes rare musical styles from the oldest traditions dating back to 13th century to the modern
forms of the 20th century.
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