Black Sea music and dance culture brought to the stage through OMU’s KARMOT project

The Black Sea Music and Dance Ensemble will give its first concert on April 26 at OMU Atatürk Congress and Culture Center

Within the scope of the Black Sea Music and Dance Ensemble (KARMOT) Project, implemented by Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) State Conservatory, the region’s traditional music and dance culture is being blended with academic discipline.

The KARMOT project includes extensive fieldwork covering a wide range of elements, from the yol havası (regional travel melodies) traditions of the Black Sea to vocal and instrumental melodies, as well as the performance styles of local instruments.

Within the project, in-depth research has been conducted on the traditional use and performance variations of instruments such as the Black Sea kemençe (a traditional Black Sea fiddle), tulum (a traditional Black Sea bagpipe), tütek (a traditional fipple flute), and zurna (a traditional double-reed wind instrument).

Going beyond being merely an archival study, the KARMOT project aims to transform field data into artistic expression, creating a cultural flow “from field to stage.”

As a project partner, the Turkish Folk Dance Department of Giresun University State Conservatory contributed to the traditional aspects, authenticity, and staging processes of Black Sea folk dances.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gültekin Şener: “We aim to create a role model for accurately representing Black Sea music culture”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gültekin Şener, a faculty member of OMU State Conservatory Turkish Folk Music Department and the coordinator of the KARMOT project, told Anadolu Agency that Samsun is a center that embodies all cultural elements of the Black Sea region.

Şener stated that they considered Samsun one of the most suitable cities for the KARMOT project and said:

“One of our main goals is to develop our culture and create a role model for the accurate representation of Black Sea music culture. Rather than criticizing others, we aimed to set an example by putting forward a project.”

Emphasizing that they aim not only to reinterpret Black Sea music but also its dances, Şener stated:

“We achieved this in cooperation with the Turkish Folk Dance Department of Giresun University State Conservatory. We will give our first concert on April 26 at OMU Atatürk Congress and Culture Center. On May 3, we will crown this work with a performance at Giresun University Şehit Ömer Halisdemir Conference Hall.”

Şener noted that the 50-member KARMOT team includes both academics and conservatory students and said:

“Students have exams, other concerts, and activities. Therefore, we tried to use our time efficiently by rehearsing once a week. Fortunately, they were also eager to be part of this project.”

Preventing the deterioration of folk songs over time

Şener explained that they examine Black Sea music academically and interpret it in accordance with its original form, adding:

“Our repertoire includes melodies notated in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, works that gained value in those years have slightly changed and evolved within society. We take them in their original form. KARMOT is an important project for measuring the transformation and development of works from the past to the present. Just as the dialects used in TV series have distorted the Black Sea dialect, our folk songs are also at risk of deterioration over time. In fact, KARMOT has the capacity to prevent this deterioration. While presenting our cultural heritage on stage, our main goal is to transform KARMOT into a sustainable and continuously producing ensemble.”

OMU State Conservatory third-year student Dian Parlak expressed her happiness at being part of the KARMOT project, stating:

“In the works we perform, we primarily focus on emotion. I am originally from the Black Sea region. As conservatory students, we blend theoretical knowledge with stage performance. In terms of dance, we also learn about different cultures from our friends. We perform the music, and they perform the dance.”

OMU State Conservatory fourth-year student Berat Şimşek noted that they went through an intense rehearsal period but achieved a satisfying outcome.