Art & Sculpture Museum, 7pm

Tickets: 30 – 40TL

55000 Years Old World’s First Flute (From Slovenian National Museum) comes to Turkey

SOLOISTS: Ljuben Dimkaroski, Antique Flute  –  Şefika Kutluer, Flute

Çağatay Akyol, Harp & Lyre

The first flute played by the “Neanderthals” is 55000 years old.

A unique “fist-time” performance at the International Sefika Kutluer Festival.

55000 years ago, much before the existence of the Homo Sapiens, when it was not even imagined that human being will mutate from these creatures and lead the World,  can you believe that Neanderthals were playing a musical instrument!  Yes, music –lovers of Ankara will witness such an hard-to-believe event.

55000 years ago, yes you can believe your eyes, exactly 55000 years ago the oldest ancestors of the human being, the Neanderthals were playing a flute made of cave bear’s bone and making music ! When this flute was discovered and the age was understood by radiometric tests our understanding of antique culture has changed.

The replica of the Neanderthal flute found in Divje babe cave in northwestern Slovenia is called “Tidldibabu”.  The Neanderthal flute is made out of a cave bear femur and is estimated to be 55,000 years old, thus being the oldest found instrument known to us. The fact that Neanderthals evidently played musical instruments tells us that they were capable of abstract thinking, the concept which some scientist attribute only to modern humans.

Ljuben Dimkarovski discovered the method for playing the flute and he can perform every style of music with it. He is the only musician who can play this antique flute and he will join the 4th International Şefika Kutluer Festival this year.

Antique Flute

The original flute from Divje babe I and its reconstruction made on a fossil femur of the cave bear. The latter played by Ljuben Dimkaroski.

Tool used to pierce holes of the flute: bone piercing tool and pointed stone tool from Divje babe I. 

Replica of the flute from Divje babe I. Hole numbers and markings of individual parts follow here the positions of fingers on the instrument during playing and, consequentially, their function. These differ from the numbering and marking used by I. Turk.

Ljuben Dimkaroski – Neanderthal Flute

Ljuben Dimkaroski, academic musician, was born in 1952 in Macedonia. Already in his early childhood he decided to play a trumpet, the instrument that, in his own words, with its sound both “fondles and demolishes”.

He obtained his academic degrees at University of Ljubljana under the mentorship of prof. Grčar. He successfully concluded studies in solo singing under the mentorship of Doroteja Spasić – Cestnik in Ljubljana’s Opera studio. He continued to develop his musical talent with several renowned European trumpeters; Timofej Dokshiter, the Russian soloist, influenced him the most.

Ljuben Dimkaroski is a versatile artist; he’s a trumpeter, a singer, a composer, a painter, a sculptor, a poet, and a collector of cultural heritage.

He has performed with several chamber and symphony orchestra, brass quartets and quintets, and music ensembles that are performing modern music. He recorded several CDs.

For three decades now he has been playing the first trumpet in the Slovenian National Theatre Opera and Ballet orchestra. He is also a conductor and a professor at high school of music in Ljubljana.

Last four years he devoted to “Tidldibabu”, the replica of the Neanderthal flute found in Divje babe cave in northwestern Slovenia. The Neanderthal flute is made out of a cave bear femur and is estimated to be 60,000 years old, thus being the oldest found instrument known to us. The fact that Neanderthals evidently played musical instruments tells us that they were capable of abstract thinking, the concept which some scientist attribute only to modern humans.

Ljuben Dimkarovski discovered the method for playing the flute and he can perform every style of music with it.

LYRE and HARP in the HITTITE WORLD

“GIŠ DINGIR.INANNA – GIŠ DINGIR.INANNA.GAL”

Lyres and harps existed during the Hittite era in Anatolia 3700 years ago. These instruments have played an important role in the musical life of the Hittites.

The lyre, originally named as “GIS.Inanna”, was the main instrument and focus of the ceremonies. Inanna is “the sign of divine power” in the Hittite Language. This definition also shows that the Lyre bears a sacred image beyond being a musical instrument.  

The archaeological materials indicate that the Hittites played the Harp. A figure of “a musician playing harp”  appears through a seal impression in a small ceramic figure. The Harp and the Lyre were manufactured by using the same techniques.

At the end of A.D 17th century, the square harps began to disappear in Anatolia. During the Ottoman period the “Cheng” (square or angular harp) was used at the palaces and this also disappeared in the last few centuries. Today the modern harp music is being listened to and enjoyed in Turkey.

Şefika Kutluer 

Sefika Kutluer has studied at Ankara State Conservatory and graduated with honors and awards in 1979. She achieved her soloist career in Vienna and Rome.

She taught at the Ankara Conservatory for several years.

She won the 3rd prize and next year the 1st prize in “ International Flute Contest “ in Vienna.

She received the 2000 Inter-Lyra prize from the ‘Hungarian Foundation for Performing Arts’

After winning several international competitions and launching her truly international career as a soloist, she was awarded the presidential Medal in Turkey, in 1985, the highest honor that country bestows on an individual, and in 1998 she became a “State Artist”. She has been decorated with “Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta’ Italiana”- State Medal – by the President of Italy and with “Austrian Gold Medal of Merit” by the President of Austria. She has recently been appointed as the “Goodwill Ambassador of Unicef”.

She has performed several concert tours, joined many International Music Festivals and gave master-classes in innumerable countries in 5 continents and received very favorable reviews. She has performed concerts at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on the occasion of the 60^th Anniversary of the United Nations Organization, at the Palace of Spain in the presence of the King and the Queen and in Tokyo under the auspices of Prince Mikasa.

Sefika Kutluer, known as the “Magic Flute” in the world music scene, has performed on various international TV and radio channels. She made concert tours and CD recordings with several famous conductors and orchestra’s including; Zubin Mehta, Sir Charles Mackerras,  Peter Breiner & British Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Northern Symphony Orchestra, European Union Chamber Orchestra, Lithuanian Philharmonic, Virtuosi Di Praga, Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra, Zagreb Soloists, City of London Sinfonia, Festival Strings Lucerne, Kremlin Chamber Orchestra and St.Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ian Anderson composed a piece titled “Sefika’s Tango”,specially for her, and she made a concert tour with Jethro Tull playing this piece, as well.

Made concerts with Claude Bolling dedicated to Jean Pierre Rampal.

Sefika Kutluer has a large repertoire extending from the Baroque period to the Romantic period and from mystical music to cross-over works from the East and West and has released 16 albums recorded with orchestra, piano and guitar accompaniment. Her albums are released by Pan Classical, Sony Classical, Naxos and Gallo International. Her CD’s are distributed all around the world and her discography receives the reviewer’s and music-lovers’ great appraisal. Sony has awarded her Carmen Fantasy CD, which includes all French repertoire, with a “GOLDEN CD PRIZE”. Her “Bach Sonatas” CD has been chosen as one of the best CDs of the year by the reviewers of the American Record Guide. She also received “GALLO GOLDEN CD COLLECTION” award from Gallo International, based in Switzerland. For her exemplary efforts to classical music Gallo has awarded her the honor of having all her albums designated as “Golden Edition” issues.

She has started an international festival in Ankara, which will continue every year during the same period. “The first 3 International Şefika Kutluer Festivals – East Meets West”  ( www.sefikakutluerfest.com ) were organized in 2010, 2011 and 2012. The 4th one is organized in September-October 2013.

European Union Chamber Orchestra has announced her as their permanent soloist.

She is a flute soloist of the İzmir State Symphony Orchestra. 

 Sincere Thanks to;

Embassy of Slovenia and T.R. Ministry of Culture & Tourism for providing the venue. 

Embassy of The Republic of Slovenia