"Bizim Orkestra" Arouses Admiration
The recital of the choir consisting of faculty members and students of
Ankara Music and Fine Arts University was highly appreciated at the
2023-2024 Academic Year Opening Ceremony. Bizim Orkestra,
consisting of gifted autistic and visually impaired young people,
accompanied the choir and received great applause with its performance.
CoHE President Erol Özvar: "The Turkish Music Ensemble of Ankara Music
and Fine Arts University and Bizim Orkestra performed an
unforgettable recital at the Opening Ceremony of the 2023-2024 Academic
Year.
We are working to facilitate access to higher education for individuals
with autism, visually impaired and all other disabilities and we are
happy to see them at our universities."
October 11, 2023/Ankara
A choir consisting of faculty members and students of Ankara Music and Fine
Arts University performed a recital at the 2023-2024 Academic Year Opening
Ceremony held at the Presidential Complex. Bizim Orkestra (Our
Orchesta), consisting of gifted autistic and visually impaired students
studying at Ankara Music and Fine Arts University, accompanied the choir and
won the appreciation of the audience with its performance.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of
Türkiye Numan Kurtulmuş, Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and other state
officials attended the ceremony. The Turkish Music Ensenble of Ankara Music
and Fine Arts University and Bizim Orkestra performed "Feracemin
Ucu Sırma", "Ömrünün Baharı Birlikte Geçsin", "Fikrimin İnce Gülü" and
"Memleketim".
During the recital, Burak Berk Boyar from Bizim Orkestra played
qanun, M. Çağrıhan Atyıldız played accordion, Buğra Çankır played piano,
Durul Turan and Ahmet Mert Yalçın played rhythmic saz, and Çağla Kıcır and
Şevval Koç performed as soloists.
At the end of the recital, the young people, who gained sympathy with the
Turkish flags they unfurled while singing the song "Memleketim", received
great applause for their performance.
CoHE President Erol Özvar stated that the choir of Ankara Music and Fine
Arts University and Bizim Orkestra presented an unforgettable
recital at the 2023-2024 Academic Year Opening Ceremony at the Presidential
Complex.
He congratulated the members of the orchestra and said, "We are pleased to
witness the success of our students with autism and visually impaired
students who take part in the orchestra. I congratulate everyone taking
part in the orchestra. We are working to facilitate access to higher
education for individuals with autism, visually impaired and all other
disabilities and we are happy to see them at our universities."
Bizim Orkestra, consisting of autistic and visually impaired young
people studying music at fine arts high schools and conservatories in
Ankara, was established in November 2022 within the Continuing Education
Application and Research Center of Ankara Music and Fine Arts University to
increase the level of awareness of the people with disabilities in society,
to improve the music-making skills of talented disabled individuals and to
support their social inclusion in society.
The orchestra, which consists of eight musicians with autism, two visually
impaired musicians, one assistant musician and two instructors, draws
attention to the superior talents of the musicians.
Buğra Çankır, who plays piano in the orchestra, is considered a genius for
his ability to distinguish the frequencies of all sounds in nature. He is
doing his doctoral studies at Ankara University of Music and Fine Arts and
is known as the first doctoral student with autism in Türkiye.
The orchestra members continue their studies at the university for two
hours a week. Lecturer Ruveyda Sultan Ünver teaches voice training and
research assistant Mert Ergül provides instrument training.
Bizim Orkestra, which has performed in many national and
international events such as the First International Music Festival without
Barriers, Another Concert - Dedicated to Aşık Veysel, and
Bizim Orkestra’s
İzmir Teknofest Special Concert, attracts great interest from the audience.
Prof. Zafer Kurtaslan, Vice Rector of Ankara Music and Fine Arts University
said: "Contrary to popular belief, the gifted students in
Bizim Orkestra
can perform at a high level in musical sense. We find it very valuable to
set an example for the integration and employment of disabled individuals
into society and to contribute to the creation of space for increasing
awareness and providing various opportunities in this regard."