·         Instroctor: Prof. Dr. Vasfi Emre Ömürlü (Istanbul University State Conservatory)

·         Date: October 21, 2025 (Tuesday)

·         Time: 8:00–9:00 PM (Istanbul) · 1:00–2:00 PM (Boston, ET)

Duration: 1 hour | Format: Live / Online | Free Admission

Vasfi Emre Ömürlü was born in Istanbul on 1969 as a member of a musician family. His father, Yusuf Ömürlü, is one of the most famous conductors and composers in Turkish Classical Music and Sufi Music and has provided initial knowledge on music to Vasfi Ömürlü. Beginning from the childhood; he attended concert practices and regular music theory classes in Kubbealtı Culture and Art Group Chorus, where his father is the musical director. He had been present in numerous concerts till the age of 20 with aforementioned chorus as a soloist and a singer. Beginning from high school, he attendedney (reed flute) classes of Ömer Erdoğdular who is the student of Niyazi Sayın who is a legendary ney player in Turkey. After completing initial studies in ney, he began to provide ney lessons in Kubbealtı Art and Culture Group with the suggestion of his master. During his undergraduate education, he attended the University Chorus, which was an important milestone in his musical journey. He was in several concerts and most importantly, in radio programs in TRT (Turkish Radio and Television) with them. Additionally, at the same time, he began to study Islamic and sufi music with Hafız Kazım Büyükaksoy, who was one of the greatest authorities in this field. Especially, he has become professional in improvisational side of Islamic and sufi music, like mevlid, kaside, durak forms. In mevlid form, he delivered numerous ceremonies with and without his master. Mevlid is a religious ceremonial form that has been practiced during holy days and it takes almost one and a half hour. It is very dynamic form in which different maqams in sections are practices in improvisational manner by voice.

After his undergraduate studies he traveled with Ahmed Özhan in Turkey for different concerts. In the mean time, he was attending to radio programs with Alaaddin Yavaşça who is the master singer in Turkish Classical Music in Turkey, in TRT Classical Turkish Music Chorus and with Doğan Ergin in TRT Sufi Music Chorus. Also, with Doğan Ergin, he was present in several Mevlevî ceremonies as a singer and a kudümzenbaşı.

After he met with Cinuçen Tanrıkorur who is a composer, conductor, singer, and a ud player whose name was known internationally, Vasfi Ömürlü attended almost every concert, TV show, and CD recordings with him. Among the TV shows, there was “Music Time” which was to perform Classical Turkish Music by the most famous singers in this field. Also two CD recordings are “Suite in Makam Şeddisaba & Sufi Hymns” and “Aziz Mahmud Hüdâî in the Sufi Music of Cinuçen Tanrıkorur”.

Vasfi Emre Ömürlü, individually or with chorus, has performed many concerts asa singer and a conductor. After his return from US completing his Ph.D. in the Ohio State University in 2002, he attended Yıldız Technical University as a Prof. and then, became the chair of Mechatronic Engineering Department.

Currently, he is leading musical group Lâ Edrî and performing concerts in Türkiye and several countries, like Germany, India, etc. regularly