Eray Cinpir

He was born in Istanbul in 1991. He completed his primary and secondary education in Bursa. During his high school years, he became acquainted with the ney (reed flute). He began his musical studies in Bursa under Mümin Orhan. Due to his interest in the ney and Turkish music, he decided to pursue a university education at a state conservatory. In 2009, he successfully passed the entrance exams of Selçuk University Dilek Sabancı State Conservatory in Konya. During his conservatory years, he studied ney under Dr. Emrah Hatipoğlu and Nuri Parmaksız, and outside of class hours, he continued his ney performance studies with Neyzen Yusuf Kayya, the Artistic Director of the Konya Turkish Sufi Music Ensemble. Outside the conservatory, he benefited from Tanbûri Kağan Ulaş in the field of music theory (nazariyat), and from Hâfız Ahmet Çalışır in the field of religious music (dini mûsikî). Upon his teachers’ guidance, he also pursued vocal performance classes during his school years and developed his skills in this field. In terms of vocal expression and hanende (singer) style, he has taken inspiration from the late Bekir Sıdkı Sezgin, Alaeddin Yavaşça, Kâni Karaca, and Münir Nûrettin Selçuk, and he follows the tradition of these masters especially in the performance of classical forms. In 2013, he was awarded first place in the singing competition held within the framework of the 16th International Science and Spring Festival of Süleyman Demirel University. While he was still a final-year conservatory student, he began working as a Guest Vocalist at the Ministry of Culture’s Konya Turkish Sufi Music Ensemble. Between 2014 and 2015, he participated as an ayinhan, neyzen, kudümzen, and soloist in programs performed by the Ensemble, including Mevlevi Ritual Ceremonies (Mevlevi Ayini), Sufi Music, and Classical Turkish Music. After completing his undergraduate studies, he began his graduate education at Gazi University State Conservatory. During this period, he worked as a Lecturer in the departments of Vocal Education and Vocal Performance Style at both Gazi University and Selçuk University Conservatories. He completed his master’s thesis titled “Analysis and Classification of the Ağırsemaî Form.” His articles have been published in journals such as Ahenk Musicology Journal and Kadem Journal of Music and Literature. He has appeared in over one hundred live broadcasts on TRT-1, TRT Avaz, and TRT Diyanet channels as a soloist, neyzen, and percussionist. He also served as a presenter for seven episodes of the music program titled “Seyreyle” on TRT Diyanet. In 2017, he served as the project coordinator of the “Hz. Mevlâna Yolu” project, which included renowned musicians such as M. Sadrettin Özçimi, Ahmed Şahin, and Fatih Zülfikar, as part of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism's GENÇ-DES initiative. He continues his work in performance under the guidance of Neyzen Sadreddin Özçimi and Ahmed Şahin, and also pursues Qur’anic recitation lessons with Qari Hâfız Kerim Öztürk. Domestically, he has been teaching Turkish music solfège and theory, Turkish music repertoire, and ney performance for over four years at institutions such as the Uygulamalı Türk İslam Sanatları Kütüphanesi (Applied Turkish-Islamic Arts Library), Dinleneyden Art Workshop, and the Science, Culture and Art Association (Bilim Kültür ve Sanat Derneği). Internationally, he has participated in workshops and concerts as a vocalist and neyzen in various countries including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania. Since 2015, he has been continuing his musical career as a vocalist with the Istanbul Sufi Ceremonies Ensemble under the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Selected Album Works: Compositions of Abdülkâdir-i Merâgî (On the 600th Anniversary of the Writing of Makâsıdü’l-Elhân), Atatürk Cultural Center Presidency, Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History, 2014. Peace at Gallipoli (On the 100th Anniversary of the War), Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2015. Tanbûri Cemil Bey (In Memory of the 100th Anniversary of His Death), Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2016. Nihavend Classical Fasıl (Ali Rıfat Çağatay: A Modern-Time Classic), Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2016. Defter-i Uşşak, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2017. Compositions of Cinuçen Tanrıkorur (Connecting Tradition to the Future), Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2017. Voices of the People of Tawhid (From Mystics to Music), Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, 2017. In Commemoration of the 10th Year, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2019. 10th Year Documentary, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Istanbul State Turkish Music Research and Practice Ensemble, 2019.