A Platform for Ethnically and Culturally Inspired Music
ABOUT
Sabri Tuluğ Tırpan is a Turkish jazz and classical pianist and composer.

Studied at the Vienna Conservatory and Vienna Music Academy, his music bridges Asia Minor and the Balkans to the West. The power and melancholy of Turkish and Balkan folk music, the spirituality of Sufi music, the tradition of European classical music, along with American jazz and musicals are the fundamentals of his sound. No matter what genre Tuluğ Tırpan focuses on, his insightful and sophisticated musical journey will have much to offer to those who find in music the power to discover their very core and reach out to the world.

Besides leading his own group, Tuluğ Tırpan Trio, he has performed with many renowned artists, including Trilok Gurtu, Antonio Sanchez, Kai Eckhardt, Benny Greb, Juan Garcia Herreros, Al Di Meola, Dave Weckl, Mike Stern, Nicholas Simion, Fernando Paiva, Wolfgang Puschnig, Paulo Fresu, Nils Peter Molvaer, Ibrahim Maalouf, classical violinists Patricia Kopatchinskaja, singers Zara and Sertab Erener.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

In 2007, due to the UNESCO Mevlana year, he composed the critically acclaimed "Mevlana the Alchemist" Symphonic Poem. It was performed with the Vienna Classical Players and Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra with great success. The piece was performed during the year throughout Turkey, as well as in Vienna, Pecs, and Sarajevo.

In 2008, his Eco Spiritual Symphony, “Gaia - A New Hope for Life” (inspired by James Lovelock), was performed in Istanbul by the Wiener Jeunesse Orchestra.

In 2009, he was nominated for the 13th Afife Jale Theatre Awards in the 'Best Original Score for Theatre' category with his score for 'Ne Dersin Azizim'.

In 2010, he won the 'Best Film Score' award for his work in the movie Büyük Oyun / A Step Into The Darkness at the 21st Ankara Film Festival.

In November 2010, his large orchestral work for three female voices, narrator, piano, choir, and orchestra, “Oratorio for Turkish Heroines,” premiered in Izmir with great success and embraced 30,000 people in two days.

In March 2012, Tuluğ Tırpan performed all the Beethoven piano and violin sonatas in three days with renowned Turkish violinist Cihat Aşkın.

In 2012, Tırpan teamed up with world-renowned percussionist Trilok Gurtu and played in his "Spellbound" album along with Paulo Fresu, Nils Peter Molvaer, and Ibrahim Maalouf, and he has been touring the world with him since then.

In 2014, he scored for King (The Fool) Lear, the modern version of King Lear premiered within the 19th Istanbul Theatre Festival.

AMONG THE PERFORMERS OF THE COMPOSER:

Vienna Classical Players, Amsterdam Metropole Orchestra, State Symphony Orchestras (Izmir, Istanbul, and Bursa), Aşkın Ensemble, Prague Philharmonic, Wiener Jeunesse Orchestra, Vorarlberg Symphony, Makam String Ensemble, Izmir State Opera and Ballet, and Eskişehir Symphony Orchestra. Conductors include Ibrahim Yazıcı, Naci Özgüç, İnci Özdil, Martin Kerschbaum, Patrick Souillot, Kirill Petrenko, Nayden Todorov, Herbert Böck.

AMONG THE FESTIVALS THE ARTIST PERFORMED AT:

Miles Davis Jazz Festival Poland, Vienna Jazz Festival, Graz Jazz Festival, ELB Jazz, Valamar Jazz Festival, Jazz Fest Wien, Schleswig Holstein Festival, Cosmo Jazz, Jazz over Villach, Istanbul Jazz Festival, Ankara Jazz Festival, Akbank Jazz Festival Turkey, Turkey Now 2008 (Holland), Pecs Festival, Silver Bay Summer Festival USA, Mare Nostrum Vienna, Feldkirch Festival, Klagenfurt Festival, Antalya Piano Festival, Jeunesse Bach 2000 Austria, International Davos Young Concert Artists Music Festival, C.R.R 1st Piano Festival Turkey.

DISCOGRAPHY

1998 Mozart Concerto No. 21 in C Major, KV467 "Elvira Madigan"

Tuluğ Tırpan: Piano, Vidin Philharmonic Orchestra / Nayden Todorov, M.M.O.

2003 1001 Nights (Fantasia alla Turca arr.)

Ferhan & Ferzan Önder, EMI Classics

2003 Santos de Casa

Fernando Paiva Group, Fishtank Records

2005 My Red Color

Tuluğ Tırpan Group, Fishtank Records

2009 My Green Color

Tuluğ Tırpan Trio, Pozitif

2010 Devrim Arabaları

Soundtrack, Simya Müzik

2011 Bir Avuç Deniz

Soundtrack, Ada Müzik

2012 My Blue Color

Tuluğ Tırpan Trio, Lin Records

2013 Two Day Trio

Benny Greb Trio, Herzog Records

2013 Spellbound

Trilok Gurtu, Moosicus Records

WORKS

MUSICALS

Hearts, 2000

Figaro, 2004

Ne Dersin Azizim, 2009

King (The Fool) Lear, 2014

ORCHESTRAL WORKS

Missa Pacem / Mass of Peace (Mass for choir, string orchestra, and soloists), 2003

Mevlana Symphonic Poem (Symphonic Poem for string orchestra and soloists), 2007

Gaia Symphony (Children’s Choir, orchestra, baritone, electric guitar), 2008

1st Piano Concerto, 2010

Oratorio for Turkish Heroines (Choir, orchestra, 3 sopranos, narrator, piano), 2010

CHAMBER MUSIC

Adagio-Recitativ for String Quartet, 1996

Fantasy for cello and piano, “Awakening,” 1997

Fantasy for violin and piano, “Reflections,” 1999

“Fantasia alla Turca” for two pianos, 2003

“Variations on Üsküdar’a Gideriken” for Jazz Combo and vocal, 2005

Evfer for piano trio, 2007

Tango Macabre for piano trio, 2010

“Blue Exile 1” for oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, and piano, 2012

SOLO INSTRUMENTS

Improvisations for solo flute, 1997

Three pieces for piano, 1995

Improvisations for solo cello, 1996

BALLET SCORE

Ah Tamar, 2012

FILM SCORES

Free Radicals (Dir: Barbara Albert), 2003

Hotel (Dir: Jessica Hausner), 2004

Crash Test Dummies (Dir: Jörg Kalt), 2004

Büyük Oyun (Dir: Atıl İnaç), 2008

Bir Avuç Deniz (Dir: Leyla Yılmaz), 2011