Erol Parlak was born in 1964, grew up in Ankara, and moved to Istanbul to attend the State Musical Conservatory at the Istanbul Technical University. Erol has given concerts throughout Europe, and was appointed Assistant Professor of Musicology in 2006. Erol Parlak<#8217;s work is rooted in the rich cultural and musical traditions of Anatolia.

In 2000, Erol founded Erol Parlak Ba<#287;lama Be<#351;lisi (Erol Parlak Baglama Quintet), and in 2004, the group released their first recording, Esik (Threshold). The Quintet<#8217;s other members are Eren Demir, Dogan Y<#305;ld<#305;r<#305;m, Ali Kaz<#305;m Akda<#287;, and Güven Türkmen.

The Baglama Quintet places great importance on exploring the full range of techniques and nuances possible on the baglama, while remaining grounded in the instrument<#8217;s cultural history. Their approach and philosophy is to combine both older and more modern pieces in a harmonic/polyphonic, without cutting themselves off from the essence of traditional baglama music.

The Quintet<#8217;s repertoire covers a broad spectrum of pieces by both anonymous and known composers, with compositions ranging from Duaz-<#305; <#304;mams to Semahs, from Deyi<#351; to Türkü, from Halays to Zeybeks and other dance tunes. Additionally, in the effort to explore new directions, they perform an original interpretation of the western classical piece, Alla Turca (Turkish March) by Mozart. In Turkey, where there is much experimentation in music, this is a first-of-its-kind effort.

About the Baglama by Erol Parlak

Instruments resembling today<#8217;s baglama have been found in archaeological excavations of Sumerian and Hittite mounds in Anatolia dating to before Christ, and in ancient Greek works. However, the lack of data to establish their link to recent history has resulted in these relics not being evaluated beyond the mere fact of their appearance there.

The oldest existing written sources about instruments resembling the baglama (generally called <#8220;lute<#8221; in the literature) generally come from Chinese sources and begin in the first century after Christ. For this reason most researchers consider the kopuz, which was brought to Anatolia after the great migrations from Asia, as the origin of the baglama and baglama-type instruments. As much as this view may be supported by its adherents, it is not wise to suppose that a major cultural region such as exists in Anatolia was merely a vacuum, filled only at a very late date by means of migrations.

What stands out is that when one takes into consideration the variety, richness of playing styles, and broad range of uses of baglama-type instruments, it is clear that Anatolia is very advanced. Embarking on this subject, which is every bit as complicated as that of where and by whom fire was first discovered,is best undertaken by evaluating the culture of instrument-making and instrument playing among the peoples of Asia and Anatolia together.

There are varying views on the point of origin, as well as the form, of instruments in the kopuz (baglama) family. One of the most evident is the idea that man, appreciating the sound of the vibrating bowstring on hunting bows, improved upon this knowledge (by the addition of a sound box such as a gourd or other material, the later construction of this out of a single piece of wood, the idea of a sound board, increasing the number of strings, tuning pegs, a fret system, etc.) and arrived at today<#8217;s instruments. Especially when one examines the instruments in regions such as north Asia, which to a large extent have remained closed, and those in Central and South Asia which have been influenced relatively little by change and development, this view holds the most weight. In these regions, it is very easily observed that instruments are still very close to their prototypes <#8212; curved necks, primitive sound boxes/soundboards, strings made of horsehair or gut, etc.; along with very old-style, traditional playing techniques.

Today, it is becoming more and more clear what the baglama and its culture, color, and playing techniques were, and what they should be. In my opinion, the place to start should be with the first-hand source <#8212; this culture<#8217;s true owners and transmittors <#8212; the folk singers, minstrels, poets, local artists, dedes, zakirs etc.; and city musicians and academicians who have knowledge of the facts and have based their works on this foundation. This natural process is after all still taking place in its real setting.

With the baglama, which is moving quickly down the road to worldwide recognition, important developments are taking place in the formation of national tastes and preferences. But there is a danger that these developments may take form in a monotonous and one-sided way. The inability of true intellectuals to move society ahead in this sense, and market quarrels in the music industry, are among the fundamental factors contributing to this danger. It should not be forgotten that Anatolian culture and the music associated with it is of a whole, and anyone with the goal of promoting this whole should take pains to protect, develop, and pass on the future all of its values.

Biography from Wikipedia (roughly translated from the Turkish):

Erol Parlak was born in 1964, in Eleskirt, Agri Province, and attended elementary and high school in Ankara. In 1982, he entered the State Conservatory of Istanbul Technic University. After finishing his studies in 1986, continued there for four years as a teacher. In 1987 he began studies at the ITU<#8217;s Social Sciences institute, and completed his Master<#8217;s degree, with a thesis on the <#8220;Bozlak<#8221; genre of folk music. In 1988, he auditioned for Turkish Radio Istanbul and was accepted with the title of <#8220;accomplished artist<#8221;. After serving in this position for ten years, he resigned, and was again accepted in 1992 into the ITU Social Sciences Institute, where he went on to earn his Doctor of Arts degree in 1998, with a thesis on <#8220;The Tradition of Hand-Playing (Pickless) Baglama Techniques in Turkey.<#8221;. Researching the subject of baglama playing techniques, saz and vocal styles, he collected nearly a thousand folk melodies. He worked with several masters such as Ramazan Güngör and Nesimi Çimen on the subject of <#8220;hand-playing [pickless] baglama technique<#8221; or <#8220;selpe<#8221;, which was on the verge of being forgotten in Anatolia, in order to bring it back into practice and develop it further. In his research (chiefly in western and southwest Anatolia), Erol concentrated particularly on the fundamental similarities between Anatolian and Central Asian music.

In 1995, he, Arif Sag, and Erdal Erzincan formed a baglama trio and gave concerts in various cities around the world. Among these was a concert with the Cologne Philharmonic Orchestra, and later, concerts at the Berlin and Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra Halls. During this same period, he and Erdal Erzincan performed as a duo in the Netherlands and Belgium, under the umbrella of the <#8220;Picked Instruments Festival<#8221; which was taking place in various parts of Turkey. On June 10 2003, he performed on the international stage at Amiens, France, and on June 12, 2003, performed a solo concert one of the world<#8217;s major ethnic music halls, the <#8220;Theatre de la Ville<#8221; in Paris.

In early 2000, he performed in a number of concerts both at home and abroad, as well as television and radio programs, with the <#8220;Erol Parlak Baglama Quintet,<#8221; a group he formed together with four of his students. The group<#8217;s first album, <#8220;Esik,<#8221; or <#8220;Threshold,<#8221; was released in 2004. Since the 1990s, he has participated in a great number of concerts, seminars, workshops etc., in private schools as well as universities and conservatories in Europe and around the world. He has made six albums, one with Arif Sag and Erdal Erzincan, one with the Baglama Quintet, three solo albums with vocals, and one instrumental solo album in which he interprets works of several important Anatolian artists ranging from Neset Ertas to Davut Sulari.

He is also the author of the books, <#8220;Hand-Playing (Pickless) Tradition and Playing Techniques in Turkey<#8221;, published by the Turkish Ministry of Culture, and <#8220;Selpe (Hand-Playing for Baglama) Technique Method I,<#8221; published in 2001 by Ekin Publishing, and <#8220;Selpe (Hand-Playing for Baglama) Technique Method II,<#8221; published in 2004 by Alfa Publishing. His latest work, <#8220;Bozlaklar<#8221; is soon to be published.

In his work, Erol Parlak has always emphazised the cultural richness of Anatolia. As a productive artist taking part in several national and international projects, he works tirelessly to convey the richness of the Anatolian spirit and culture to people the world over. In 2006, Erol was appointed Assistant Professor in Musicology in the Art and Design Department of Yildiz Technical University.
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Erol Parlak, 1964 y<#305;l<#305;nda A<#287;r<#305; da do<#287;du. <#304;lk ve orta ö<#287;renimini Ankara<#8217;da tamamlad<#305;. 1982 y<#305;l<#305;nda <#304;stanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Türk Müzi<#287;i Devlet konservatuar<#305;<#8217;na girdi. 1985-1986 ö<#287;retim y<#305;l<#305;nda ö<#287;renimini tamamlad<#305;ktan sonra ayn<#305; kurumda dört y<#305;l süreyle ö<#287;retim görevlisi olarak çal<#305;<#351;t<#305;. <#304;TÜ Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü<#8217;nde 1987 y<#305;l<#305;nda ba<#351;lad<#305;<#287;<#305; Yüksek Lisans e<#287;itimini 1990<#8217;da <#8220;Bozlaklar<#8221; konulu tezi ile tamamlad<#305;. 1988 de TRT <#304;stanbul Radyosu<#8217;na s<#305;navla <#8220;yeti<#351;mi<#351; sanatç<#305;<#8221; olarak girdi. On y<#305;l sürdürdü<#287;ü bu görevinden 1998 de istifa ederek ayr<#305;ld<#305;. <#304;TÜ Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü<#8217;nde 1992 y<#305;l<#305;nda ba<#351;lamaya hak kazand<#305;<#287;<#305; <#8220;sanatta Yeterlik (sanat doktoras<#305;)<#8221; e<#287;itimini 1998 de<#8221; Türkiye<#8217;de El <#304;le (Tezenesiz) Ba<#287;lama Çalma Gelene<#287;i ve Çal<#305;<#351; Teknikleri<#8221; adl<#305; tez çal<#305;<#351;mas<#305; ile tamamlad<#305;. Yakla<#351;<#305;k on y<#305;l boyunca Anadolu<#8217;nun çe<#351;itli yörelerinde özellikle <#8220;ba<#287;lama çal<#305;<#351; teknikleri, saz ve ses tav<#305;rlar<#305;<#8221; konusunda ara<#351;t<#305;rma, incelemeler yapt<#305;. 1000<#8217;e yak<#305;n halk ezgisi derledi. 1995 y<#305;l<#305;nda Arif Sa<#287; ve Erdal Erzincan ile birlikte ba<#287;lama üçlüsü olu<#351;turarak dünyan<#305;n çe<#351;itli yerlerinde konserler verdi. 1996 y<#305;l<#305;nda Alman cumhurba<#351;kan<#305; Roman Herzog himayesinde Köln Filarmoni Orkestras<#305; e<#351;li<#287;inde Köln Filarmoni salonunda, daha sonra Berlin ve Strazburg flarmoni salonlar<#305;nda verilen ve büyük ilgi gören konserler bunlardan baz<#305;lar<#305;d<#305;r. Ayn<#305; dönemde Erdal Erzincan<#8217;la ikili olarak Türkiye<#8217;nin çe<#351;itli yerlerinde, <#8220;m<#305;zrapl<#305; sazlar festivali<#8221; kapsam<#305;nda Hollanda ve Belçika<#8217;da sahne ald<#305;. 10 haziran 2003 de Fransa Amiens ulusal sahnede, 12 haziran 2003 te dünyan<#305;n en önemli etnik müzik konser salonlar<#305;ndan olan Paris <#8220;Theatre de la Ville<#8221;de bir solo konser verdi. 2000 y<#305;l<#305; ba<#351;lar<#305;nda ö<#287;rencileriyle olu<#351;turdu<#287;u <#8220;Erol Parlak Ba<#287;lama Be<#351;lisi<#8221; ile Yurtiçi ve yurtd<#305;<#351;<#305;nda çok say<#305;da konser verdi, TV ve radyo program<#305;na kat<#305;ld<#305;. 2004 y<#305;l<#305;nda grubun <#8220;E<#351;ik<#8221; adl<#305; albüm çal<#305;<#351;mas<#305; yay<#305;mland<#305;. 1990<#8217;l<#305; y<#305;llardan itibaren ba<#351;ta Avrupa olmak üzere dünyan<#305;n çe<#351;itli yerlerinde, gerek özel okullar gerekse resmi üniversite, akademi ve konservatuarlarda halen devam etmekte olan çok say<#305;da konser, konferans, seminer, workshop vb etkinliklere kat<#305;ld<#305;. 2006 y<#305;l<#305;nda Müzikoloji Bölümüne Yard<#305;mc<#305; Doçent olarak atand<#305;.

Arif Sa<#287; ve Erdal Erzincan<#8217;la ve ba<#287;lama be<#351;lisi ile birer adet, üç adet sözlü bir solo enstrümantal olmak üzere alt<#305; albümü bulunmaktad<#305;r. <#8220;Türkiye<#8217;de El <#304;le (tezenesiz) Ba<#287;lama Çalma Gelene<#287;i ve Çal<#305;<#351; Teknikleri<#8221; adl<#305; kitab<#305; 2000 y<#305;l<#305;nda T.C. Kültür Bakanl<#305;<#287;<#305;, <#8220;<#350;elpe Tekni<#287;i Metodu 1<#8221; adl<#305; kitab<#305; 2001 y<#305;l<#305;nda Ekin Yay<#305;mlar<#305; ve <#8220;<#350;elpe Tekni<#287;i Metodu 2<#8221; adl<#305; kitab<#305; 2004 y<#305;l<#305;nda Alfa yay<#305;mlar<#305; taraf<#305;ndan yay<#305;mland<#305;. Dört yeni çal<#305;<#351;mas<#305; devam etmekte olan sanatç<#305;n<#305;n <#8220;Bozlaklar<#8221; adl<#305; yay<#305;ma haz<#305;r bir kitab<#305; da bulunmaktad<#305;r.

Erol Parlak, çal<#305;<#351;malar<#305;nda hep Anadolu<#8217;nun kültürel zenginli<#287;ini vurgulam<#305;<#351;, insan<#305; evrensel bir olgu olarak temel alan ve kültürel çe<#351;itlilikleri ifade etmeye yönelik bir tutum sergilemi<#351;tir. Bu gün ulusal ve uluslararas<#305; bir çok projede yer alan ve ayn<#305; do<#287;rultuda üreten bir sanatç<#305; olarak, Anadolu ruhunu ve kültür zenginli<#287;ini yorulmadan, usanmadan dünya insanlar<#305;na aktarmaya devam etmektedir. Halen <#304;TÜ Türk Musikisi Devlet Konservatuar<#305;nda Ö<#287;retim Üyesi olarak görev yapmaktad<#305;r.
Erol Parlak<#8217;<#305;n müzik yolculu<#287;una ba<#351;lang<#305;c<#305; 1970<#8217;li dönemin Ankara<#8217;s<#305;ndaki çocukluk y<#305;llar<#305;na kadar uzanmaktad<#305;r. Ankara<#8217;n<#305;n özgün kültür yap<#305;s<#305;ndan ve müzi<#287;in ilk merkezi olu<#351;undan kaynaklanan birikimin son dönemine yeti<#351;mi<#351; ve o dönemde her biri adeta birer kültür yuvas<#305; niteli<#287;ine sahip saz atölyelerinde, ço<#287;u zaman saatlerce, bazen hiç ara verilmeden günlerce süren muhabbetlerin içinde bulunmak, o havay<#305; solumak, Muharrem Erta<#351;, Hac<#305; Ta<#351;an, Ne<#351;et Erta<#351;, Zekeriya Bozda<#287;, Hasan Yücel, R<#305;fat Balaban, Emin Aldemir vd. ustalar<#305; yak<#305;ndan dinlemek <#351;ans<#305;na sahip olmu<#351;tur. Anadolu insan<#305;n<#305;n ruh zenginli<#287;i, duygusall<#305;<#287;<#305;, engin gönüllü<#287;ü ve do<#287;al yarat<#305;c<#305;l<#305;<#287;<#305;, onu gelenekten yeti<#351;mi<#351; muhabbet ehli insanlar<#305;n yan<#305;na çekmi<#351; ve bu yön ondaki sanat a<#351;k<#305;n<#305; destekleyen en önemli olgulardan biri olmu<#351;tur. Akademik e<#287;itim ald<#305;<#287;<#305; daha sonraki konservatuar y<#305;llar<#305;nda, hep kaynaktan gelen bu özellikleri bilgiyle birle<#351;tirmeye ve buradan yeni aç<#305;l<#305;mlara ula<#351;maya çal<#305;<#351;m<#305;<#351;t<#305;r. Gelene<#287;in verimli dönemiyle beslenmi<#351; alayl<#305;l<#305;k, y<#305;llarca süren okulluluk ve devam<#305;nda geli<#351;en ara<#351;t<#305;rmac<#305;l<#305;k, TRT saz sanatç<#305;l<#305;<#287;<#305;, serbest müzik piyasas<#305; stüdyo müzisyenli<#287;i vd. özellikler belli bir anlay<#305;<#351;<#305;n olu<#351;mas<#305;n<#305; sa<#287;lam<#305;<#351;t<#305;r. Disiplinli, ara<#351;t<#305;ran, sorgulayan, tespitçi, korumac<#305;, özden ve gelenekten kopmadan geçmi<#351;in ve bu günün birikimine ba<#287;l<#305; kalarak yeni aç<#305;l<#305;mlara yönelen ve sergiledi<#287;i duru<#351;un arkas<#305;nda olan bir anlay<#305;<#351;.

Erol Parlak, çal<#305;<#351;malar<#305;nda hep Anadolu<#8217;nun kültürel zenginli<#287;ini vurgulam<#305;<#351;, insan<#305; evrensel bir olgu olarak temel alan ve kültürel çe<#351;itlilikleri ifade etmeye yönelik bir tutum sergilemi<#351;tir. Bu gün ulusal ve uluslar aras<#305; bir çok projede yer alan ve ayn<#305; do<#287;rultuda üreten bir sanatç<#305; olarak, Anadolu ruhunu ve kültür zenginli<#287;ini yorulmadan, usanmadan dünya insanlar<#305;na aktarmaya devam etmektedir.

SANAT ÇALI<#350;MALARI

Albümler

- Ah Bu Türküler
- Concerto For Baglama
- Pervane
- Göç Yollar<#305;
- Katre
- E<#351;ik

Sanatç<#305;n<#305;n <#8220;Göç Yollar<#305; 2<#8221; adl<#305; enstrümantal albümün çal<#305;<#351;malar<#305; devam etmektedir.

KONSER, SEM<#304;NER VB. ETK<#304;NL<#304;KLER

Sanatç<#305;n<#305;n konser, dinleti ve özellikle Avrupa çap<#305;nda yo<#287;unla<#351;an e<#287;itim seminerleri detayl<#305; biyografi(C.V.) bölümünde ayr<#305;nt<#305;l<#305; olarak verilmektedir.

Erol Parlak Ba<#287;lama Be<#351;lisi

Grup 2000 y<#305;l<#305; ba<#351;lar<#305;nda Erol Parlak taraf<#305;ndan kuruldu. Grubun di<#287;er elemanlar<#305; Eren Demir, Do<#287;an Y<#305;ld<#305;r<#305;m, Ali Kaz<#305;m Akda<#287;, Güven Türkmen; Erol Parlak Müzik Okulu<#8217;nda yeti<#351;mi<#351;lerdir.

Grup; ba<#287;laman<#305;n kültürel birikimi ve bütünlü<#287;üne ba<#287;l<#305; olarak, ba<#287;lamaya ait her tekni<#287;i ve nüans<#305; bünyesinde bar<#305;nd<#305;rmaya önem vermektedir. Sound olarak özden ve gelenekten kopmadan geçmi<#351;in ve bu günün birikimine ba<#287;l<#305; kalan bir çal<#305;<#351;ma ve armonik (çok sesli) duyumu da içine alan bir t<#305;n<#305; anlay<#305;<#351;<#305;na sahiptir.

Grup repertuar<#305;; Anadolu müzi<#287;i üzerine kurulu, anonim ve ki<#351;isel üretimlerden olu<#351;an, Duaz-<#305; <#304;mamlardan Semahlara, Deyi<#351;lerden Türkülere, Halaylardan Zeybeklere ve oyun ezgilerine kadar uzanan çe<#351;itli eserlerden meydana gelmektedir. Bunun yan<#305;nda yeni aç<#305;l<#305;mlara ula<#351;ma çabas<#305; do<#287;rultusunda Bat<#305; klasiklerden W. A. Mozart<#8217;<#305;n Alla Turca (Türk Mar<#351;<#305;) adl<#305; eseri de özgün bir <#351;ekilde yorumlanmaktad<#305;r. Bu anlamda çe<#351;itli denemelerin yap<#305;lmaya çal<#305;<#351;<#305;ld<#305;<#287;<#305; ülkemizde, gerek icra kapasitesi, gerekse performans<#305; ile konusunun ilk ve tek örne<#287;idir.

Çe<#351;itli konser, dinleti, TV-Radyo programlar<#305; gibi etkinliklere kat<#305;lan grup, ulusal ve uluslararas<#305; bir çok proje içinde yer almaktad<#305;r.

2004 y<#305;l<#305;nda grubun <#8220;E<#351;ik<#8221; adl<#305; albümü yay<#305;mland<#305;.

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