Ihsan Ozgen (kamenche, tanbur, co-director of Lux Musica) is a self-taught musician composer and teacher of the Classical Ottoman music of Turkey. He is sometimes regarded as the new Cemil Bey: the turn-of-the-century performer and composer noted for his brilliance on a variety of instruments.
Ozgen is a self-taught musician and performs on kamenche, lauta, violoncello and tanbur. He has studied and mastered the works of Tanburi Cemil Bey. He has studied the techniques of playing the violoncello and violin and has applied new techniques to the playing of the kamenche such as new left hand positions and bow techniques. Ozgen’s fame is usually associated with his kaemenche playing and melodic taksims (improvisations). Ozgen’s kamenche playing brings out soft full and rich sounds from this instrument.
In 1991 Ozgen was awarded the Abdi Ipeksi Peace Award in recognition of his work with the Bosphorus ensemble a group composed of Turkish and Greek musicians. He is also the leader of the well-known ensemble Anatolia.
Ozgen is an instructor at the Istanbul Turkish Music Conservatory and former guest lecturer at University California at Santa Cruz.
Discography:
Masterworks of Itri & Meragi (Golden Horn GHP 8-2, 1998)
Remembrances of Ottoman Composers (Golden Horn GHP 11-2, 1999)
Legacy with Neva Ozgen (Golden Horn GHP 16-2, 2001)
Cantemir: Music in Istanbul and Ottoman Europe around 1700, with Linda Burman-Hall (Golden Horn GHP 19-2 2004)
Haydn and the Gypsies: Music in the Style Hongrois, with Lux Musica
Celtic Caravans: The Road to Romanticism, with Lux Musica
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
