Burhan Öçal

Born in 1953 in Kirklareli, a village in Thrace (the European territory of Turkey), the multi-instrumentalist and composer Burhan Oçal grew up in a musical family. From his father he learned a variety of percussion instruments, while his mother introduced him to religious vocal music. His main instruments are darbuka (a vase-shaped drum played with the fingers), kös (kettle drum), kudüm, and bendi; he also sings and plays saz, tanbur, and oud, in addition to composing. He moved to Zürich in 1977, but he soon moved back to the more exciting environment of Istanbul, where he enj...