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Barış İçin Müzik celebrated its 15th anniversary with a very special show. On Sunday 22nd November, it broadcast an online premiere of its interpretation of one of the most famous works of the classical music world, Peter and the Wolf.
For this special concert, Barış İçin Müzik's students took over the musical parts, while the narration of Prokofiev's much-loved tale was brought to life by the famous Turkish actress, Şebnem Bozoklu.
And, so as to ensure that we could all enjoy the show, the Barış İçin Müzik team prepared English-language subtitles for the performance. Therefore, if you haven't seen it yet, be sure to click below and watch the captivating performance ↷.
Watch Barış İçin Müzik's digital performance of Peter & the Wolf
(in Turkish with English subtitles)
The Peter and the Wolf concert was originally planned to be held in Istanbul's Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall on 23rd April, with the orchestra performing live on site. However, the performance ultimately had to be cancelled due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in Turkey.
Not long after the concert was due to take place, Barış İçin Müzik's students also started having to work from home, therefore, plans were soon made for devising an alternative concert.
From May to July, everyone then put in a lot of effort and enthusiasm to ensure that the concert was successfully turned into a special online show celebrating Barış İçin Müzik's 15th anniversary at a time in which people particularly need the healing power of music.
Shot by the documentary and film director, Selçuk Metin at the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall, the filming of Peter and the Wolf was ultimately completed late this summer and the resulting digital symphonic tale will be available to watch from the premiere on the 22nd November through till the end of the year.
Making music during the lockdown brought me back to life a little bit, it gave me motivation. I am glad we had the opportunity.
The Peter and the Wolf process was a different experience for us. We met at the Cemal Reşit Rey for the first time again during the pandemic. It was really good to meet up and see each other as an orchestra again after such a long time. And, we were very surprised to discover that the online education had been so effective, as we did a great job when we got together again.
When we are not side-by-side, when we are not together, it becomes more difficult to reach agreements and to learn new pieces than when we are side-by-side. As percussion players, our instruments cannot be carried home or played at home, so this was the most difficult and troublesome situation for us. Ultimately, we continued our lessons with whatever materials we could find in our homes.
We continued our education via distance learning. It was a different experience, but it had its good sides. The good thing was that you don't notice your mistakes when you are in the orchestra, but you start to see your mistakes more clearly when you are at home and working on your own constantly. The downside was being away from our friends, not being able to play in the orchestra. Our teachers did their best. They also had difficulties, but, in the end, something unforgettable happened.
Written for children by Prokofiev, the tale of Peter and the Wolf has been narrated by important 20th century artists such as Sting, David Bowie, Sophia Loren, Sean Connery, Ben Kingsley, Patrick Stewart and Sharon Stone and is a valuable story in its own right.
The Turkish translation of Peter and the Wolf was created by the writer and translator, Tomris Uyar, and the theatrical adaptation was produced by the master dramaturge, Genco Erkal.
Composed in 1936, the tale introduces children to the musical instruments in an orchestra and shows them that stories can be told through music. Each orchestral instrument is associated with a different character in the story and the tale soon takes us on an exciting journey of which music forms an integral part.
The Peter and the Wolf symphonic tale promises an enjoyable experience not only for children but also for audiences of all ages who want to explore the fascinating world of music.
Supporters of the project
Peter and the Wolf 15th Anniversary Project Supporters:
Enka Sanat and the Istanbul Rotary Club
Project Production Support:
European Union Sivil Düşün (Think Civil) Programme
15th Anniversary Year Supporters:
Allianz Türkiye, Ekinciler Holding, Interpress, Fatih Rotary and Partnerschaft Wiesbaden – Istanbul/Fatih e.V., Keskin Color, Microsoft Türkiye, Mozaik Foundation Türkiye, Pharmavision, Support Foundation for Civil Society, Wellpoint.
Have you been inspired by what you've read and want to find out more about Barış İçin Müzik or to see whether you can in some way support the programme in the work that it carries out? Below you can find links to Barış İçin Müzik's online platforms and to their donation page. Click on the links alongside the relevant icons to visit the pages of your choice:
https://fonzip.com/barisicinmuzik/kampanyabarisicinmuzik/kampanya
https://www.barisicinmuzik.orgbarisicinmuzik.org
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