Kanun masterclasses.
Bio
Born in 1966 in Kirklareli. Began his music life at eight years old with the care of his father
Muzaffer Baktagir. In 1988, a year after graduating from ITU Classical Turkish Music State
Conservatory, he began his postgraduate education. He entered Ministry of Culture Istanbul
State Ensemble of Turkish Music under the Tanbur Player Necdet Yaşar. He gave concerts with
“Necdet Yaşar Ensemble” in various countries.
Began his compositional studies in conservatory years Göksel Baktagir has 400 works both
lyrical and instrumental. Many of his works has been included in TRT repertoire and his Zavil Saz
Semai named “My Saz” was granted an award in a competition organized by TRT in 1990.
Artist’s Muhayyerkurdi song named “Single Word” was selected one of the 10 most loved songs
of 1997 by Milliyet and his album “Eastern Wind” was awarded by the Writers Union of Turkey
in 2000. In 2004, he was granted the Music of the Year Award by the European Union
Foundation of which’s center office is located in Switzerland. In 2013, he was granted the
Composer of the Year Award in Iri Musica Award organized by the collaboration of Classical
Turkish Music Foundation and Beyoglu Municipality. At the end of 2017, he was awarded in the
music awards category under T.R. Presidency Culture and Art Grand Awards.
Baktagir is still carrying out his studies on the technique he developed especailly for the “left
hand” in qanun performance as well as other techniques since 1984. Deemed as one of the most
important qanun perfomers of today, the artist has widened the aspects of qanun, a Turkish
musical instrument in basic, to other musical genres such as New Age and Jazz.
As well as his duty in Ministry of Culture and Tourism Istanbul State Ensemble of Turkish Music,
he has given concerts with Istanbul Saz Players group in UK, France, Denmark, Sweden,
Belgüum, Netherland, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Macedonia, Malta, USA, Canada,
Argentina, Malaysia, India, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Japan since 1999. He has been
organizing advanced level qanun workshops in several countries such as Turkey, Iran, Tunisia,
Algeria, Germany, France, Palestine. He is one of the saz soloists of Tekfen Philharmonic
Orchestra, the sound of three seas, which’s formed by leading artists of twenty three countries.
By the opening of 2016 art season, 6 of his works was arranged as a symphonic suite with the
name “Eastern Wind” and performed and presented to the audience by Tekfen Philharmonic
Orchestra in many places with Istanbul and Ankara coming in the first place. He is still giving
concerts with various conceptual groups performing his compositions and music in many
countries such as Tunisia, Kuwait, Germany, France, Palestine, Algeria. In 2016, famous jazz
soloist Lean Chamamyan has released the Two Colors album compiled with Göksel Baktagir
compositions and gave the launching concert of the album in October 2016 in Zorlu PSM. In
2017, Lena Chamamyan and Göksel Baktagir works have been performed together in many
festivals like Tunisia Carthage and Hammamet.
He organized workshops and concerts in East Jerusalem Edward Said conservatory in September
2017 and in Paris Edgar Varese Conservatory again in December 2017. He gave a concert in
Kuweit in March 2018.
In March 2019, he worked as the art and musical director of the “Physicians Singing” album.
He composed the musics for the “Turkish National Anthem” documentary produced by CNN
Turkish and the “Azerbaijani” composition which he and Yurdal Tokcan has arranged and
performed together, was selected as one of the soundtracks of The Passion of Christ.
Served as an academician in Mimar Sinan University State Conservatory and Halic University
Conservatory, the artist has two notation books where his works are published and is preparing
his mini qanun method publication which will make learning qanun easy for kids.
The artist is married with Füsun Baktagir and is father of two named Buğra Can and Cansu.
Some of his albums: Sound In The Ocean 1-2-3, Caravansary/5, Diary, Eastern Wind 1,2,
Intuitive Callings, Syrtos and Longas, Like A Dream 1,2,3, Spring of Emotion, Love Symphony,
Foreign Land Ballad, The Storm, Kalb-i Coşku, Bonds of Heart, Songs of the Future, Love 2018
(Single), The Light of Night 2019 (Single), Yunus&Love Oratorio (2022)
