July 23 - 28, 2012

Daud Khan, was born in Kabul/Afghanistan in 1955. He studied Robab (a traditional lute-instrument of Afghanistan) with Ustad Muhammad Umar, who was the most famous Robab-interpret of the classical style as well as the traditional folklore style in his country.

The knowledge about building as well as playing the Robab has become rare, and only a few artists still keep the tradition of the classical robab-style which wasmainly represented by Ustad Muhammad Umar in Kabul. Daud Khan is trying to preserve this authentic style of his master’s school.

July 23 - 28

      This year Greek ney virtuoso Haris Lamprakis, one of the Musical Workshop Labyrinth's most esteemed teachers, has decided to introduce a new and particularly interesting subject to our curriculum of courses. His seminar will be titled "Rhythmic improvisation in Modal Music" and it will focus on various ways of combining melody  with rhythmic forms and patterns in an improvisational context. Haris has very broad experience playing in a wide variety of different musical idioms with musicians from different musical worlds ranging from Greek, Balkan, Turkish and Arabic right up to jazz and even Indian and African. He will gradually unfold for the students both basic as well as advanced improvisational techniques drawing from all of these sources.

July 23 - 28, 2012

The vocal techniques of Bulgarian music have attracted great interest worldwide over the last few years. The extraordinary tonal clarity and accuracy of Bulgarian singers is universally appreciated and many musicians from other traditions have expressed a deep interest in learning their techniques. Tzvetanka Varimezova has taught these techniques for many years in America and has much experience in teaching non-Bulgarian students to master them.

July 23 - 28, 2012

Ivan Varimezov was born in Bulgaria and received a B.A. degree in folk instrument performance and ensemble conducting from the Academy of Music and Dance in Plovdiv. Raised in the traditions of his native region of Strandzha, he is one of the most outstanding gaida (bagpipe) players of his generation, and he has many solo recordings and awards to his name.

July 30 - August 4, 2012

Ömer Erdoğdular started studying music while still a child. He was born in Konya and grew up in Istanbul, initially learning ney from his father. In 1965 he began studying with Ümit Gürelman, and soon after started lessons with Niyazi Sayın, which continued for many years. In the following two decades, he participated in many radio and TV programs, orchestras and concerts in a period when ney just began to be rediscovered in Turkey. In 1980 he first appeared in concert with the famous soloist Bekir Sıtkı Sezgin, and from then on played in most of his concerts.

July 30 - August 4, 2012

Ahmet Erdoğdular started studying music at an early age with his father, neyzen Ömer Erdoğdular, and continued his musical development with the guidance of the renowned musician Niyazi Sayın. He participated in various concerts as a lead singer while still a teenager. Ahmet holds a BA degree from the Istanbul Technical University State Conservatory where he also completed his Masters degree in Turkish Classical Music under the guidance of Professor Alaeddin Yavaşça. He specialized in Turkish gazel (improvisation) technique, while his academic research is on the use of music and poetry in gazel forms of the late Ottoman period. Ahmet studied makam and improvisation techniques with Niyazi Sayın, Necdet Yaşar and Kani Karaca, and performed with them in Turkey and around the world.