Looking for music in Istanbul
 

Hi all - our visit to Turkey rapidly approaching. We are a musician: piano/violin, and artist. We expect that we will spend most of our time just wandering around various neighborhoods, occasionally stopping to see a particular sight, and we especially hope to hear some good street / traditional music. Does anyone have suggestions where we might wander to find such music? After Istanbul we'll be traveling on to Romania and fantastic Roma 'fiddling'. We have great memories of Italian passagiata evening strolls listening to music in the plazas. We are two travelers in search of great music, local art (and food!).

Please check this video. Although it is not very recent, it has good coverage of most locations where you can find street musicians.

Istiklal Street and its side streets are now more or less Syrian refugee or Roman children domain but I am sure there are other places.

http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Bridg...ing+the+bridge.

This video may be available at a cheaper price in Turkey but then it could be in german with Turkish subtitles.

Other interesting music feasts are :

- Soundtrack of the Turkish film "Neredesin Firuze"
- Tuluyhan Ugurlu concerts (at Grand Bazaar and other locations)
- Nazim Hikmet Oratario by Fazil Say
- Yeni Turkuler
- Bogazici Korosu (at various locations) singing protest songs
- https://twitter.com/kardesturkuler_
- Aynur
- Mercan Dede
- Nardis jazz club http://nardisjazz.com/
- Concert dates, venues and tickets at = http://www.biletix.com/anasayfa/TURKIYE/en

There are just too many art galleries for me to list. I just received a note from Pi-Artworks, Istanbul and the artists on exhibition seem interesting.

Check IKSV (for both art and music), Sabanci, Pera museums in addition to Museum of Modern Art.

Recommend that you combine Sabanci museum with Turkish fusion food at Musee De Changa restaurant at Emirgan. (museum entrance usually free if you eat at the restaurant.) Also good breakfast or brunch on Sundays, possibly with live jazz music, and Bosphorus view from the park.

The long walk at Taksim Metro station usually has some musicians also, but cannot remember types or quality.

I'm not sure if these options would be of any interest to you, but thought I would mention them:

The Ottoman Mehter Band performs regularly at the Military Museum.

And you can see the sema and Turkish folk-dancing at Hodjapasha
https://www.hodjapasha.com/en/

Enjoy your time in Istanbul!

Wow-there really are a ton of galleries and music venues. Thanks all.