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Erdal Erzincan
Composer
Erdal Erzincan is one of the most important bağlama virtuosos, composers and teachers in Turkish folk music, widely recognized as the pioneer who studied, refined and popularized "şelpe" — the fingerpicking technique for playing the bağlama without a plectrum. Born in 1971 in Erzurum, he moved to Istanbul in 1981, began studying under legendary folk musician Arif Sağ in 1985, and in 1989 entered Istanbul Technical University's Turkish Music State Conservatory, graduating with a thesis on the şelpe technique. Following his 1994 debut solo album "Töre," he released acclaimed instrumental albums including "Garip," "Şelpe" and "Döngü," and his collaboration with renowned Iranian kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor, "The Wind," released on the prestigious ECM Records label, drew major international acclaim on world music charts. He has spent years training new bağlama players at his own music school, leading the 25-member Erdal Erzincan Bağlama Orchestra made up of his students in numerous concerts at home and abroad, and co-authored the two-volume "Bağlama Metodu" method book with Arif Sağ.
Upcoming events (1)
Past events
Frequently asked questions
Who is Erdal Erzincan? ▾
Erdal Erzincan is one of the most important bağlama virtuosos, composers and teachers in Turkish folk music, widely recognized as the pioneer who studied, refined and popularized "şelpe" — the fingerpicking technique for playing the bağlama without a plectrum. Born in 1971 in Erzurum, he moved to Istanbul in 1981, began studying under legendary folk musician Arif Sağ in 1985, and in 1989 entered Istanbul Technical University's Turkish Music State Conservatory, graduating with a thesis on the şelpe technique. Following his 1994 debut solo album "Töre," he released acclaimed instrumental albums including "Garip," "Şelpe" and "Döngü," and his collaboration with renowned Iranian kamancheh virtuoso Kayhan Kalhor, "The Wind," released on the prestigious ECM Records label, drew major international acclaim on world music charts. He has spent years training new bağlama players at his own music school, leading the 25-member Erdal Erzincan Bağlama Orchestra made up of his students in numerous concerts at home and abroad, and co-authored the two-volume "Bağlama Metodu" method book with Arif Sağ.
Where does Erdal Erzincan perform / which events are they playing? ▾
Erdal Erzincan will perform at the following upcoming events: Harbiye Oditoryumu (Istanbul), Erdal Erzincan & Kayhan Kahlor — 17 Dec 2026