Bryant Park Picnic Performances season of free, live performances, continues on Saturday, September 9 with the US debut of Turkish musician Gaye Su Akyol, as well as opening act The Secret Trio, presented by Drom.
This concert celebrates the music of Anatolia and marks the centenary of the founding of the Turkish Republic.
Gaye Su Akyol is an Istanbul-based musician and artist, born in 1985. In her work, she redefines the concepts of power, desire, change and rebellion. She creates a universe of imagination, in which she constructs her own “counter-reality” — a world without oppression or injustice. Without alienating from the land she was born into, she questions its representations, defines new symbols, and chases after the practice of transforming a conservative world through collective dreaming.
Gaye Su Akyol has created her own unique language, taking the contrasts of traditional Anatolian music, Classical Turkish music, psychedelia, surf rock and post-punk, and combining them with her futuristic approach. Akyol, who, in 2014, released her first album Develerle Yaşıyorum (“I Live With Camels”) in 2014, written and composed entirely by herself, defines her music as “universal in concept, local in spirit.” She expanded her audience through numerous concerts and festivals in Turkey, Europe, Middle East and the Far East, with the release of her first international album, Hologram İmparatorluğu (“Hologram Empire”) in 2016.
The Secret Trio, the opening band for Gaye Su Akyol, is made up of three astounding musicians who came together to create a new type of chamber music with new and interesting approaches to their instruments. Immerse yourself in the captivating melodies and stunning virtuosity of Ara Dinkjian, Ismail Lumanovski, and Tamer Pinarbasi.
Founded by two immigrant business entrepreneurs, Drom’s mission is to celebrate cultural diversity in the performing arts field. They have provided a physical space for artists from around the world to present their music, art and creative experiments. Drom live by the motto, #DromIsHome. From downtown Manhattan, they bring together a local and global community of like-minded individuals to share art and culture that transcend genre, class, race, and geography. Drom’s programs span diverse artistic forms including music, dance, theater, comedy and its stage is open to the next generation, as well as established performers.
REMAINING SCHEDULE AT BRYANT PARK
August 25 – Accordions Around the World: Diana Burco, Suistamon Sähkö, Ragini Ensemble
August 26 – Roulette Intermedium: Immanuel Wilkins, 75 Dollar Bill, Ka Baird
August 31 – The Town Hall: Martha Redbone Roots Project
September 01 – The Classical Theatre of Harlem: Young, Gifted and Black
September 07 – American Symphony Orchestra: American Expressions
September 08 – New York City Opera: Romeo and Juliet
September 09 – Drom: Gaye Su Akyol (U.S. Debut)
September 14 – Harlem Stage: 40th Anniversary Celebration
Attendees to Bryant Park Picnic Performances may bring their own food or purchase from on-site food and beverage vendors. At all performances, attendees can discover new dishes and celebrate classics from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of local artisanal vendors curated by Hester Street Fair.
For the most current information about Bryant Park, please visit bryantpark.org/picnics.
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