Aygen Atay

He was born in 1984 in Istanbul and completed his undergraduate education at Anadolu University, Faculty of Economics. In 1996, he began training in religious music (meşk) under the guidance of Dursun Çakmak, the muezzin of Nuruosmaniye Mosque, and received sema instruction from Hāfiz Hüseyin Top Dede during the same period. From an early age, he benefited from the teachings of many masters in the field of tekke (dervish lodge) music. He has served as a whirling dervish, percussionist, vocalist, and dhakir in numerous domestic and international cultural programs. He also held administrative roles in various foundations and associations in the fields of culture, education, and social services. In 2018, he joined the Istanbul Sufi Ceremonies Ensemble under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye as a dhakir and rhythm player a role he continues to perform today.