about sa.ne.na
sa.ne.na is a mostly-percussion based ensemble dedicated to presenting contemporary music with creative programing. Somewhere between a rock band and a string quartet, they take their diverse musical interests to create captivating programs of music that they love, often through innovative collaborations. They occupy a space in an ever-evolving musical genre which includes everything from found sounds and electronics to classical instruments, utilizing conventional and extended techniques. Always engaging, never dull - sa.ne.na will warm your heart and open your eyes and ears to a new musical landscape.
sa.ne.na has premiered their own works as well as pieces by Turkish composers Selen Gülün, Mehmet Okonşar, and Taylan Cihan. sa.ne.na has given many official and unofficial Turkish premieres of works by Steve Reich (Sextet, Mallet Quartet), Iannis Xenakis, John Cage, Paul Lansky, David Lang, and Louis Andriessen.
In 2010 sa.ne.na collaborated with Puik's Journey, an indie-electronica band from Istanbul, to bring their electronic sounds to life with acoustic instruments. In 2011, sa.ne.na teamed up with the post-rock band 123 to rock out on Terry Riley's In C and inject 123's songs with a rainbow of percussive colors. In the 2011-12 season sa.ne.na gave the Turkish premier of Paul Lansky's new masterpiece Threads as well as David Lang's the So-Called Laws of Nature. 2013 saw the Turkish premieres of Steve Reich's Sextet and Mallet Quartet, and an electro-acoustic collaboration with Korhan Erel which featured original compositions and Rzewski's Coming Together. In 2014 sa.ne.na paid tribute to the late James Preiss by performing at ITU MIAM's Marimba Project. Upcoming projects include a concert to celebrate MIAM's 15th anniversary with the MIAM Percussion Ensemble, and a reprise of Coming Together in Berlin with Korhan Erel.
sa.ne.na has premiered their own works as well as pieces by Turkish composers Selen Gülün, Mehmet Okonşar, and Taylan Cihan. sa.ne.na has given many official and unofficial Turkish premieres of works by Steve Reich (Sextet, Mallet Quartet), Iannis Xenakis, John Cage, Paul Lansky, David Lang, and Louis Andriessen.
In 2010 sa.ne.na collaborated with Puik's Journey, an indie-electronica band from Istanbul, to bring their electronic sounds to life with acoustic instruments. In 2011, sa.ne.na teamed up with the post-rock band 123 to rock out on Terry Riley's In C and inject 123's songs with a rainbow of percussive colors. In the 2011-12 season sa.ne.na gave the Turkish premier of Paul Lansky's new masterpiece Threads as well as David Lang's the So-Called Laws of Nature. 2013 saw the Turkish premieres of Steve Reich's Sextet and Mallet Quartet, and an electro-acoustic collaboration with Korhan Erel which featured original compositions and Rzewski's Coming Together. In 2014 sa.ne.na paid tribute to the late James Preiss by performing at ITU MIAM's Marimba Project. Upcoming projects include a concert to celebrate MIAM's 15th anniversary with the MIAM Percussion Ensemble, and a reprise of Coming Together in Berlin with Korhan Erel.
about the musicians:
kerem öktem
Kerem started playing traps at the age of 14. After performing loud and raw rock music with local bands in his hometown Ankara for a couple of years, he was accepted to the Bilkent University Music Department in 2000 where he studied classical percussion, with a growing affection for contemporary music, along with post-rock and electronica.
Throughout his college years, he frequently played with the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, toured Italy with the World Youth Orchestra, supported piano virtuoso Fazıl Say and critically acclaimed pop singer Sertab Erener on their tour of Europe, composed and performed live electronic music for works by Ankara Opera House's Modern Dance Company, had gigs with Turkish Jazz veteran Tuna Ötenel, and got invited to play a solo recital in Istanbul's İş-Sanat concert hall.
His interest in music technology led him to move to İstanbul where he studied sound engineering and design at Istanbul Technical University's Centre for Advanced Studies in Music, where he co-created SA.NE.NA. He got his M.A. in 2009, coding an algorithmic composition program based on cellular automaton as his graduation project. Meanwhile, he kept expanding his contemporary chamber music repertoire, wrote tunes for and performed in albums by remarkable artists of Istanbul indie scene, played in festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Salzburg Festival, Radar Live and Efes Pilsen One Love Festival.
As an orchestral musician, Kerem was lucky enough to play under the direction of maestros such as Lior Shambadal, William Eddins, Avi Ostrowsky, accompanying virtuosos like Sabine Meyer and Renée Fleming. He now regularly plays with Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Borusan İstanbul Philarmonic Orchestra, SA.NE.NA and Bilkent Ensemble. Kerem can also be heard in projects such as Puik's Journey, Bir Gün Bir Adam and Dead Country.
Throughout his college years, he frequently played with the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, toured Italy with the World Youth Orchestra, supported piano virtuoso Fazıl Say and critically acclaimed pop singer Sertab Erener on their tour of Europe, composed and performed live electronic music for works by Ankara Opera House's Modern Dance Company, had gigs with Turkish Jazz veteran Tuna Ötenel, and got invited to play a solo recital in Istanbul's İş-Sanat concert hall.
His interest in music technology led him to move to İstanbul where he studied sound engineering and design at Istanbul Technical University's Centre for Advanced Studies in Music, where he co-created SA.NE.NA. He got his M.A. in 2009, coding an algorithmic composition program based on cellular automaton as his graduation project. Meanwhile, he kept expanding his contemporary chamber music repertoire, wrote tunes for and performed in albums by remarkable artists of Istanbul indie scene, played in festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Salzburg Festival, Radar Live and Efes Pilsen One Love Festival.
As an orchestral musician, Kerem was lucky enough to play under the direction of maestros such as Lior Shambadal, William Eddins, Avi Ostrowsky, accompanying virtuosos like Sabine Meyer and Renée Fleming. He now regularly plays with Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Borusan İstanbul Philarmonic Orchestra, SA.NE.NA and Bilkent Ensemble. Kerem can also be heard in projects such as Puik's Journey, Bir Gün Bir Adam and Dead Country.
amy salsgiver
Irmak Altiner
Amy Salsgiver is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. She has performed in a wide variety of ensembles encompassing many genres, including orchestral, off-Broadway, Afro-Cuban, street theater, and contemporary chamber music, in cities like New York , London, Dublin, and Istanbul. She gave the Irish premier of Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians, toured the Eastern United States with the Philadelphia Virtuosi, performed with Alarm Will Sound, toured Colombia and Kosovo as a member of Bond Street Theater with sponsorship from Unicef, and given several official and unofficial Turkish premiers of important contemporary works.
In 2003, Amy moved to Istanbul, where she has been performing with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra. She presents concerts and workshops about new music, percussion, composing for percussion, and West African xylophone music.
Amy is a co-creator of the Istanbul-based mostly-percussion group SA.NE.NA, which performs important contemporary repertoire, their own compositions, new works by young Turkish composers, and does collaborations with other musicians and bands.
In addition to the Hezarfen Ensemble, she busy directing the MIAM Percussion Ensemble and performing with MIAM Modern Music Ensemble. She is also active as a free improvisor.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Manhattan School of Music and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Royal College of Music in London. She also holds a Masters Degree from Istanbul Technical University's MIAM (Center for Advanced Musical Research) where she is currently on faculty as performer-in-residence.
Amy uses the MalletKAT.
In 2003, Amy moved to Istanbul, where she has been performing with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra. She presents concerts and workshops about new music, percussion, composing for percussion, and West African xylophone music.
Amy is a co-creator of the Istanbul-based mostly-percussion group SA.NE.NA, which performs important contemporary repertoire, their own compositions, new works by young Turkish composers, and does collaborations with other musicians and bands.
In addition to the Hezarfen Ensemble, she busy directing the MIAM Percussion Ensemble and performing with MIAM Modern Music Ensemble. She is also active as a free improvisor.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Manhattan School of Music and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Royal College of Music in London. She also holds a Masters Degree from Istanbul Technical University's MIAM (Center for Advanced Musical Research) where she is currently on faculty as performer-in-residence.
Amy uses the MalletKAT.
seçil 'dirge' kuran
Secil Kuran began her journey in 1999 at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. For 2 years she studied piano. After that she decided to hit things and moved to the percussion department. She has given many concerts with Mimar Sinan University Symphony Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble,and participated in many projects and premieres outside of Turkey, including ensembles like the National Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2006 she joined the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra. There she met Amy and Kerem and she joined sa.ne.na. She has played in the Salzburg Festival with Borusan and in the Chill-Out Festival with Puik's Journey. Meanwhile she gives concerts with many other state and philharmonic orchestras in Turkey. After graduating form Mimar Sinan,she began studying sound technology and music production. In addition to playing with Borusan and sa.ne.na, she is currently focusing on her own music and playing with 123.