Behsat Üvez

BEHSAT ÜVEZ

For many years Behsat Üvez worked with a number of dance groups and orchestras in Turkey. He was an instrumentalist and soloist with the Ankara State Ensemble for nine years, and the musical leader of the folkloristic dance and music ensemble Tüfem in Ankara. With these two groups he travelled all over the world, propagating Turkish music. Since 1989 he has been working as a musician and music teacher in the Netherlands.
Behsat is both singer and multi-instrumentalist. He plays the baglama (saz), cura, tar, kabak kemane (knee viol), violin, cümbüs (fretless lute), ud, mandolin en various percussion instruments. His expertise lies in Turkish, Balkan and Mediterranean music. Apart from solo- performances in the Netherlands, he played in Orient Express and Ano Kato (Greek music).

He has also participated in a great many experimental and international projects, such as
  • Female Factory (1998, 1999 and 2000)
  • 5-May project with the Metropole Orchestra (1998)
  • Music Meeting (Nijmegen, 2000)
  • Foundation Jazz Utrecht (2000-2001)
  • the Culture Factory Amsterdam (1999-2000)
  • Foundation Kulsan (2000)
  • Circus Colourful City in Nijmegen (2001)
  • Global Village Orchestra (2001 to present)
  • Klap op de Vuurpijl with Alan Laurillard`s Seafood plus (December 2001)
  • Raiz met Fernando Lamerinihas (February 2003)
  • Made in Holland (September, October 2003)
Apart from teaching saz, Turkish percussion and singing at the Groningen and Hoogezand Schools of Music, Behsat coordinates short-term activities at the Groningen School of Music. Both in the Netherlands and abroad he is in high demand as a performing musician and workshop leader.