Listening Across Borders: Music of Türkiye and Its Neighbours

A Listening Club Series

Explore the musical connections between Türkiye and its cultural neighbours in this Listening Club at Yunus Emre Institute in London. Facilitated by musician and musicologist Prof. Dr Mine Doğantan-Dack, each session offers a curated journey through sound, focusing on shared musical traditions from the Balkans, the Levant, the Aegean, Persia, the Turkic world, and the Ottoman musical sphere.

In this inaugural session of YEE Listening Club, participants will journey through shared myths and folk tales carried by music across the Northern Balkans and Turkey’s Trakya region, encounter the emotional world of Sevdalinka, also known as the Balkan Blues, alongside beloved Turkish and Balkan musicians, and engage with both historical and contemporary interpretations of a living repertoire.

About the Club

This six-session Listening Club invites participants on a guided musical journey through the sound worlds connecting Türkiye and its cultural neighbours. Each session centres on close listening to carefully selected vocal and instrumental works, supported by visual materials such as videos, maps, and instrument guides. Participants are encouraged to reflect, share impressions, and engage with the music in an open and interactive way, discovering how music travels across borders and cultures.

Who Can Attend?

This Listening Club is open to:

• Music lovers and curious listeners
• Students and researchers in music, culture, or area studies
• Anyone interested in Türkiye’s cultural connections with neighbouring regions

No musical training is required.

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Host or Publisher Yunus Emre Institute London