Renowned Spanish conductor Angel Gil-Ordonez is set to grace the capital of Türkiye, Ankara, on Thursday night, with his extraordinary talent, marking a special occasion to commemorate the beginning of Spain's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The event, meticulously curated and hosted by the esteemed Spanish Ambassador to Türkiye Javier Hergueta, promises to be an exceptional experience, serving to not only enthrall ears and minds but also to fortify the cultural bonds between Spain and Türkiye.
From grand classical symphonies to modern works, Gil-Ordonez's masterful command of the baton and profound understanding of the music have garnered widespread admiration. He has had the privilege of conducting several distinguished orchestras, including the American Composers Orchestra, Opera Colorado, the Pacific Symphony, the Hartford Symphony, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the Orchestra of St. Luke's, among others.
However, beyond all these, he was awarded the Royal Order of Queen Isabella, Spain's highest civilian decoration, in recognition of his unwavering commitment to sharing the rich cultural heritage of Spain with the world through music.
All of this makes Gil-Ordonez's first arrival in Türkiye a very special occasion in terms of artistic interaction with the Turkish audience. When asked about how he feels about his arrival, he said: "I'm very happy; this is my first time here, and I'm really excited. The culture of the country, and its history, it is magnificent, and exploring the city for the time that I am here was really a great experience. We are talking about thousands of years of history. Because sometimes we Europeans think that our culture is old, and then you go to a museum here and we are talking about 11,000 years before. It's like, what? So it was very, very impressive."
Gil-Ordonez will perform with the prestigious Limak Philharmonic Orchestra, starting with the traditional Turkish folk song "Çayda Çıra," a variation by Ferit Tüzün, who is considered the first composer of Turkish ballet. Then, he will present an Andalusian Spanish composition, "El Amor Brujo," ("Love, the sorcerer") by Manuel de Falla, followed by a harmony extending to Joaquin Turina's "Danzas Fantasticas," a famous composer who contributed to the development of national elements in 20th-century Spanish music. The program will culminate with an enchanting flamenco show at the end.
"The first piece that we are to perform is a piece by an Andalucian composer, Joaquin Turina, that actually depicts music from other regions of Spain. So the culture is going to be a little bit like a beautiful journey through Spain because the first piece is actually a 'jota,' which is a dance mainly from the center of Spain, from the region of Aragon, Zaragoza. And then the second piece is a second dance from the Basque country, the ritual fire dance. So then the last one, the third dance includes Andalusian flavor. So we're going to see a little bit of the country. Because it is the spin, as you know, is like Türkiye, the folklore varies a lot from one region to the other. Of course, flamenco will be the main component of the performance, but we are also to listen to different pieces of other different styles of music in Spain," he said.
As Gil-Ordonez elaborated, the program aimed to explore how traditional music from Spain and Türkiye has influenced concert composers from Spain and Türkiye. To achieve this, an extraordinary flamenco singer has been invited to perform traditional flamenco music that profoundly influenced one of the most important composers of the 20th century, Manuel de Falla. The concert seeks to showcase the rich cultural connections between these two countries and highlight the impact of their traditional music on the works of renowned composers.
"Of course, that's the other wonderful thing to see that our cultures have a lot in common because we have a lot of influences in our culture. Those influences are reflected in the music of these composers. Sometimes you will see when you are listening to this Spanish music that it sounds a little Turkish. When you were really listening to the Ferit Tüzün oh, that sounds also Spanish a little bit. So I think that the audience will perceive that too," he said.
Ferit Tüzün, renowned for his opera "King Midas' Ears," will have his version of "Çayda Çıra" performed during the event. This traditional Anatolian dance is going to be presented in a symphonic rendition of one of Ferit Tüzün's compositions. Before Gil-Ordonez came to Türkiye, he said that he listened to various versions of the folk song "Çayda Çıra" and watched videos related to the Anatolian dance performed with candles. It can be said that he has studied diligently in this context.
"That is going to be a song in the original version by a Turkish singer. And then we are going to do a rendition of this piece in the symphonic version by one of Ferit Tüzün," he explained.
As the event has been organized by the Spanish Embassy, a multitude of dignitaries from the diplomatic service in Türkiye are expected to attend the performance. Not only representatives from Spain but also from other countries will be present, along with officials from the Turkish government. On the other hand, the extraordinary Limak orchestra's performance will likely attract a portion of the audience. However, the majority of attendees are anticipated to be dignitaries from various diplomatic groups and the Turkish government. It promises to be a diverse and distinguished gathering.
Gil-Ordonez currently holds the position of music director/conductor of the PostClassical Ensemble (PCE) in Washington D.C., principal guest conductor of New York’s Perspectives Ensemble, and music director of the Georgetown University Orchestra in D.C. Yet, the works he has accomplished with the PCE are highly regarded for their innovative and daring approach, challenging traditional norms and redefining the concert experience in unique ways.
Indeed, particularly within the scope of the PCE, as the very name of the ensemble "post-classical" refers roughly to something beyond boundaries, their work stands out as one of the finest blends of cultural diversity and representation through music. This ensemble seamlessly unifies diverse repertoires, intertwining African American melodies with Native American music, and Chinese and Indonesian sounds, breaking the confines of solely European musical traditions. They create a musical experience that goes beyond the comfort zone of classical music listeners, offering a journey outside the familiar territories.
They don't limit themselves to this; they also interpret different yet equally important art forms such as film with their orchestra. The audience gets to have a unique experience by watching Mexican and American films or listening to composer Dmitri Shostakovich's score for "New Babylon" played live. According to Gil-Ordonez, even an audience member not familiar with classical music may choose to attend these concerts to personally experience the exceptional harmony between film and music. This allows the audience to learn a new musical language through experiential means.
Toward the end of our interview, Gil-Ordonez reflected on how music often revolves around composers who have long passed away, prompting profound contemplation. This realization highlights the value of Gil-Ordonez's work, especially in these times. He focuses on lesser-known composers, who are exceptionally talented but may not have gained widespread recognition for some reason. By blending their works with popular melodies and continually transforming music, he strives to sustain its continuity through every era.
