Biography
The singer and songwriter Hasan Yükselir completed his musical studies at the Gazi University in Ankara and earned his "Master of Arts"- degree afterwards at the University of Ankara. As solo artist and composer he performed at the State Opera House in Ankara as well as in several theater plays and musicals at the 'Türk Ocağı'.
He was also a guest of the State Symphonies Orchestra during several Festivals all over Turkey. He wrote music for several TV Series and films, Documental films and Movies; has produced and released several Music albums and is a frequent guest in a variety of music shows in all the larger Turkish TV-channels.
Hasan Yükselir lives in Germany since 1994, where he founded the artist-association "Su Arts e.V." in 1996. The goal of this association was to convey and form the dialog between the cultures through various musical projects. Along with preserving and bringing objects of cultural importance closer to the general public, it was important for him to preserve valuable cultural objects for the immigrants from their far away homes as well as bringing these closer to the people of the immigrants new communities away from their homeland. On the other hand, the immigrants were to learn and understand more about the culture of their new homeland and learn to identify themselves with this new culture. Understanding and a live cultural exchange between the cultures is the utmost concern of this association.
Milestones:
1996 | Worldpremier of Hasan Yükselir’s Concertino for three Baglamas and Orchestra with the Sinfonieorchester Köln and the solo artists Arif Sag, Erdal Erzincan und Erol Parlak at the Philharmonie in Cologne |
1997 | Premier of the musical "saw hands, that bundled roses, in dark soil" according to poems from Yunus Emre in Köln. In the same year he was the solo artist singing Anatolian folk songs, at the book presentation "Cem Özdemir in talks with Heiner Geissler" |
1998 | Concerts in Toronto, Cologne, Krefeld and in the Oetkerhalle in Bielefeld |
1999 | Appearance at a concert for the integration of Turkish migrants in Metz / France |
2000 | The House of World Cultures in Berlin in cooperation with TBB e.V. und Su arts e.V. presents: "Ses Dönümü" – transformation of sounds: Türkisch-European Compositions from Germany in the Heilig-Kreuz-Church Berlin. Benefit-Gala against racism in the Kölner Philharmonie: "Songs for the love and peace amongst creatures" by and with Hasan Yükselir |
2001 | Premier of "Sevda ateşten bir gömlek" / "Love is a shirt of fire" according to poems by Nazım Hikmet presented by Hasan Yükselir in the Passionskirche Berlin-Kreuzberg |
2001 | Concerts in Paris und Nancy/ France as well as in Gent/Belgium presenting the program "Su Türkülerden Göç Türkülere" |
2001 | Anatolian folk songs accompanied by the Berlin Schöneberg Symphonie Orchester in Berlin-Mariendorf - composer and soloist Hasan Yükselir |
2002 | The "Sevda ateşten bir gömlek" / "Love is a shirt of fire" tour, at the Gasteig in Munich, the Hebbel-Theater in Berlin, the Music hall in Hamburg and in Nurnberg. Additional stops of the tour were in Antwerp/Belgium and Paris/France. |
2003 | Television production with Anatolian Songs in the TRT Series - "Bergüzar" |
2005 | "Master of the Anatolian Song Art" – Traditional Music presented in a modern style in the RBB concert hall |
2006 | Concert with Hasan Yükselir and the Greek artist Alexandra Gravas in the Alten Oper, FrankfurtTelevision production with Anatolian Songs in the TRT Series - "Dem Bu Dem". TVT Television production "Su Türküler" |
2006 | Television production with Anatolian Songs in the TRT Series - "Dem Bu Dem". TVT Television production "Su Türküler" |
2007 | Concert at the Academy of Music and Arts in Frankfurt in honor of the 7th. Türkish Film Festival.Start of the "Gelenekten gelecege" tour through various cities of Turkey such as Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. |
2008 | Concert with the pianist Beate Ramisch in Frankfurt-Mörfelden |
2010 | Premier of SONGS WITHOUT CONSTRAINTS - SINIR TANIMAYAN ŞARKILAR, a intercultural music project based on an idea by Beate Ramisch, Acadamy of Music Detmold. |
2010 | Premier of "Yunus'tan Nazım'a Kantat", a cantata for solo artists, choir and symphonie orchestra by Hasan Yükselir & Fırat Yükselir in Eskişehir / Turkey. |
2011 | The second concert "Yunus'tan Nazım'a Kantat", a cantata for solo artists, choir and symphonie orchestra by Hasan Yükselir & Fırat Yükselir in Eskişehir / Turkey |
2011 | SONGS WITHOUT CONSTRAINTS - SINIR TANIMAYAN ŞARKILAR, "come together” Part II with Ulrike Wahren & Ensemble, Volkwin Müller & Friends, Hasan Yükselir, Beate Ramisch & Ensemble |
2012 | "Sevda ateşten bir gömlek" / "Love is a shirt of fire" in DLM Offenbach |
2012 | SONGS WITHOUT CONSTRAINTS - SINIR TANIMAYAN ŞARKILAR, "Mediterranean Blues" with Angeles Santiago & Ensemble, Trio Fado and Maria Carvalho, Beate Ramisch, Hasan Yükselir & Ensemble |
2013 | Concert series "MainBosporus" in Offenbach |
since 2014 | Initiator and artistic director of the "MainWeltmusik Festival" in Offenbach - www.mainweltmusikfestival.de |
2015 | "From Pir Sultan to Nazım" accompanied by the Anatolia Symphony Orchestra |
2016 | "Orhan Pamuk’a Söylemeyin Kars’ta Çektiğim Filmde Kar Romanı da Var" of Rıza Sönmez - Music: Hasan Yükselir |
2017 | "Locman" of Şükrü Alaçam - Music: Hasan Yükselir |
2019 | Anatolian folk songs accompanied by the Anatolia Symphony Orchestra, Conductor Firat Yükselir in Istanbul |
2019 | From "Pir Sultan to Nazım" concert series Nuremberg, Ulm |
2020 | "Sevda ateşten bir gömlek" / "Love is a shirt of fire" according to poems by Nazım Hikmet presented by Hasan Yükselir in Mersin |
2023 | "Toprak"gelenekten geleceğe - "Earth"traditions meets future" CD/ Longplayer |
Hasan Yükselir regularly tours in all of Turkey, as well as Germany, England, France, Switzerland and the Benelux.
CDs: |
"Günler" |
(1992) (1993) (1994) (1998) (2001) (2002) (2004) (2014) (2023) |
Hasan Yükselirs major strength lies in his solid knowledge of the occidental tone language and theory of music as well as knowledge of the entire cosmos of oriental music and numerous Maqams (wide ranges of tonality) and Modi. On the other hand his amazing art consists of the song form he has developed. He adapts and composes traditional Anatolian Folk songs into classical and western music forms and interprets them with his classically trained voice. His music not only combines but creates a synthesis of the original Anatolian music style and western oriented music in which instruments from the western culture as well as eastern culture harmonize together. Hasan Yükselir has developed these songs in an aesthetical way so lovers of the original Anatolian folk songs as well as lovers of classical occidental music find themselves within these songs. Everything he touches becomes a musical experience, no matter if accompanied by a classical Turkish instrumental assemble, a European symphony orchestra, a Jazz formation or a combination of all.