Kumpanya İstanbul

Kumpanya Istanbul

- Festive Orchestra

- Davul Zurna Ensemble

Ahmet Özden presents two different projects with Kaba Zurna.

Known as Turkey's most famous zurna master, Ahmet Özden formed his first ensemble Kumpanya Istanbul in 2001 in collaboration with our organization Cafeturc.

Under Ahmet Özden, the zurna, until then a fanfare, festive and wedding instrument, has become an integral part of the orchestra.   

There are three types of zurna in Turkey: the cura, the medium zurna and the kaba zurna. The type used in Thrace is the kaba zurna. Ahmet Özden focuses on the kaba zurna as a solo instrument, with its own style and improvisations. The artist makes the difference with his talented interpretations of traditional, popular and classical Turkish music on the kaba zurna. 

Within the Orchestre de Fête and the Ensemble Davul Zurna, Ahmet Özden is accompanied by talented musicians who are masters of improvisation. Interpreting local Turkish music in their own style, these two ensembles integrate traditional music with contemporary improvisations.

Kumpanya Istanbul

- Festive Orchestra

Kumpanya İstanbul, originally founded with wind and percussion instruments, has given numerous concerts at major festivals and cultural centers around the world. Buda Musique, world-renowned in the field of traditional music, released an album in France in 2002 entitled "Fanfare Tsigane de Thrace (Ahmet Özden & Kumpanya Istanbul)".

The ensemble, which originally consisted of six musicians, has now evolved into a ten-strong festive orchestra, with the participation of a number of talented new artists. Its repertoire is made up of the most vibrant, exhilarating and spellbinding melodies of traditional Turkish and classical music.

Kumpanya Istanbul

- Ensemble Davul Zurna

The tradition of the Davul (drum) and zurna, the essential festive music for open-air celebrations, is a cultural treasure that has existed in Anatolia and Thrace for centuries. It is an indispensable musical activity, especially for weddings, festivals and other important social celebrations.

The Davul and the zurna are two instruments with which traditional music is played lively and enthusiastically outdoors, and which make up the dynamic repertoire of traditional music. In any celebration, the energetic rhythms of the Davul and zurna create an atmosphere inviting dance and joy. 

Karagöz Art House has been working on a large-scale Davul Zurna Ensemble project with Ahmet Özden to keep this tradition alive.

Against this backdrop, the Kumpanya Istanbul - Davul Zurna Ensemble was designed for major events, shows, festivals, city celebrations, street performances and inaugurations.

The number of musicians in the ensemble varies according to the size of the event.