Presented by the Department of Music and The Robert and Carol Morris Center for 21st Century Music, June in Buffalo, a festival and conference dedicated to composers, took place June 3-9 2019 at the University at Buffalo. An invited composer, Eren's Bozkir was performed by Mivos Quartet on June 7.
Of Bozkir (2016), Eren writes "This piece is inspired by the endless steppes that span Eurasia—from Eastern Turkey until Western China. The title Bozkır literally means ‘steppes’ in Turkish. The string quartet is treated as a homogeneous unit rather than four separate entities, and at times, imagined as an oriental instrument. The first third of the piece explores several ideas derived from Turkish maqams and the folk tradition of bards’ songs, while presenting it in a manner where a constant shift of focus occurs back and forth between melodic and rhythmic structures. The second third of the piece depicts an imaginary journey from East to West through localities of texture. The final third of the piece concludes on an Anatolian folk song-like theme."
Mivos Quartet recorded Bozkir in 2016 in the Nelson Music Room at Duke University. Listen to an excerpt.
Photo: Brian Ferneyhough and Eren Gümrükçüoğlu after the performance of Bozkir
Department of Music
