The ‘International Şefika Kutluer Festival’ organized by Şefika Kutluer, who is described as the ‘Magic Flute’ by the New York Times, was selected as the first in the ‘Best Festival’ category at the ‘Ace of MICE Awards 2020, which is accepted as the Oscar of the event and meeting sector. . Speaking to Hürriyet Ankara, Şefika Kutluer talked about the success of the festival and its impact on Ankara’s culture and arts life.
* What is the secret of the continuity of the International Sefika Kutluer Festival and its successes?
I have personally experienced and continue to experience the cultural structure of that country in all the countries where I have visited concerts, competitions, awards, festivals and other artistic activities throughout my education life and soloist career. Looking at our country from outside, I observe its shortcomings. Because making comparisons between countries in the fields of education and culture and arts requires living these experiences personally. I pay my loyalty debt to the city where I was born, using my artistic environment and experiences that I have created thanks to my career so far.
* What is the difference from other festivals?
I am an artist born in Ankara and I do not have a great amount of money to organize such a festival. The festival is held only with the support and art community I have created up to now. I am very grateful for the strong support and public attention I have received so far. It is the first time that an artist is organizing this festival and performing at the festival.
* You recently received a very important award. With what features was the festival awarded? Our festival, where we feature the best quality and original performances of the west and east, also took place in many firsts:
* First performance of Mozart’s newly found work.
* World launch concerts of my Latin Romance and Fado CDs.
* The concert where we brought the world’s first flute from Slovenia, dating back 55,000 years, and played together.
* Live painting on stage during the concert.
* The concert I gave with the orchestra that played thousands of years old instruments from China.
* Performing orchestral arrangements for the first performances of songs such as ‘Awakening Ey Gözlerim Uyan’, Aşık Veysel’s ‘Long Thin Road’ and Ankara’s ‘Misket’.
* Social responsibility projects such as the Pakistani earthquake and Somalia aid concerts, concerts for the benefit of UNICEF, the initiative to take Tarsus under the protection of UNESCO, the Palestinian Young Musicians concert.
WE REMEMBER THE FORGOTTEN VALUES OF ANATOLIA
In addition to music, our programs also included dance, exhibitions and scientific conferences in plastic and phonetics. Reminding once again of the forgotten values of Anatolia enables Turkish people to get to know and protect them, and also provides an important promotion opportunity for the world. The fact that other countries have related cultures with us enables foreigners to return to their countries by seeing and experiencing them themselves and to introduce these values.
He wants to devote and effort
* Festival organization is a very demanding job. You do this with a very small team. What are the difficulties or advantages of organizing individual festivals?
Yes, we are holding this festival with my wife, with our personal efforts. This job requires great dedication and effort. Since we are in direct contact with our local and international art circles without any intermediaries, we conclude each issue more easily and quickly. My art and my wife’s organizational experience enable us to do such an organization.
* Will the festival be this year? If so, from which countries will artists and groups participate?
Everything changes at any moment during my pandemic period. Of course, our wish is that the conditions allow and then we realize. We will announce the program and the participating artists before the festival.
PROTECTING VALUES IS OUR DUTY
* What is the contribution of the festival to Ankara art life?
Atatürk founded the first conservatory in Ankara and I graduated from there. The first operetta stage is also in Ankara. With many other first institutions established by Atatürk, Ankara is Atatürk’s cultural capital. It is our duty to protect these values. Also, as a musician, my goal is to spread classical music and reach new audiences. In our previous festivals, a very new audience has been introduced to classical music and these audiences are increasing day by day. Very successful performances where the cultures of Eastern countries were synthesized with classical music were admired. The fact that some eastern countries such as China, Japan and Korea are more advanced than us in classical music, they set a very good example with the ‘Suziki Method’ that they have made the world accept. I think that the first voiceovers in the world, bringing the best quality and original samples for the first time, and giving enlightening educational conferences contributed to the art life of Ankara. We first felt the need to reintroduce our own values and culture to our people, and we still hear it. All over the world, the level of education, culture and art is going backward, out of proportion to technological developments. Therefore, every cultural and educational activity should be supported.
* What did being in Ankara contribute to you?
The fact that the foreign mission representatives were in Ankara and their interest in our festival enabled them to follow our events closely and thus contributed greatly to the recognition of our festival abroad.
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