COMPOSERS AND PERFORMERS

AHMET SAY

(1935 - )

Ahmet Say is the son of Fazıl Say, a math teacher during the first years of the Turkish Republic. Born in Istanbul in 1935, Ahmet began taking piano lessons at a young age. In 1946, invited by Ferdi Statzer, he entered the Istanbul Municipal Conservatory, where he studied theory and solfege with Demirhan Altuğ, piano with Verda Ün and harmony with Raşit Abed. He left the Conservatory in 1950 and went to Germany, where he received training in printing-publishing (1954-1960). During this time, with the guidance of musicologist Kurt Kohler, he began to show interest in musicology. Upon his return to Turkey he worked as a village teacher in Bingöl. Here he collected folk songs, laments, fairytales and legends, and founded children’s and youth choirs as well as folk dance ensembles (1960-64). Putting his experiences to use in the field of literature, he wrote award-winning novels and short stories (TRT Award, Sabahattin Ali Award, Antalya Film Festival Award, Milliyet Newspaper Novel Competition Award). In 1964 he settled in Ankara, where he worked for various newspapers and magazines.

He worked as the director at the weekly magazine “Turkish Left” (1967-69), and published a monthly literary magazine, “Turkish Writers” (1977-83). Starting in 1974, he turned towards music education and publishing, directing the “Music Encyclopedia Press” and writing music criticisms.

Books Published:

Kocakurt (novel), Milliyet Yayınları, 1976. Bingöl Hikayeleri (short stories), Milliyet Yayınları, 1980. İpek Halıya Ters Binen Kedi (epic story), Dayanışma Yayınları, 1982.

Die Katze, die sich rucklings auf den Seidenteppich setzt (epic story, German translation, Express Verlag, Berlin 1985.

Güneşin Savrulduğu Yerden (Rewritten form of “Bingöl Hikayeleri”), Can Yayınları, 1988.

Müzik Ansiklopedisi, 4 volumes, Müzik Ansiklopedisi Yayınları, 1985-87.

Müzik Öğretimi, Müzik Ansiklopedisi Yayınları, 1996. Müzik Tarihi, Müzik Ansiklopedisi Yayınları, 1998.

The Music Makers in Turkey, Müzik Ansiklopedisi Yayınları, 1995.