First initiated last summer in Yanıklar village in Fethiye, Turkey's first-ever "Müzik Köyü" (Music Village) will be touring Istanbul to perform as well as explain their pursuit to perpetuate traditional Anatolian music from Dec. 1-4 at various venues throughout Istanbul. This summer, professionals, students and locals came together to share their skills and love of Anatolian music and instruments in Yanıklar village in Fethiye, and next week they will be touring Istanbul to perform the fruits of their labor and to answer questions for anyone interested in delving deeper into Turkey's traditional music. There are numerous traditional Turkish instruments played in this collective orchestra, which also holds workshops on instrument making in addition to performances. An example of just some of the many instruments from Turkey you may see onstage this week will be the bağlama, üçtelli saz, kabak kemane, tambourine, lute, shrill pipe and hanging drum.I had the opportunity to meet Mehmet Günay Eser, one of the founders and coordinators of this project, who just so happens to play the bağlama, üçtelli saz and hanging drum. He spoke on behalf of the team about their upcoming tour and concert series in Istanbul.Turkey's first music village devoted to learning and performing traditional Anatolian music and instruments was established last August by the Anatolian Cultures Research Association (AKAD) as a one-week gathering of musicians from all over Turkey and the world set against the stunning backdrop of the Babadağ Mountains and accompanied by all of the local treasures and delights of village living. Nearly 20 performers and 60 participants participated in a very special weeklong retreat that focused entirely on learning and preserving the Anatolian musical tradition."The Music Village project is a non-sponsored event that is organized entirely by a collective who feel there is a great Anatolian cultural legacy that needs to be preserved," Mehmet said, adding that they had nothing to lose in this venture, except their own proverbial "chains." I asked him about the Anatolian Cultural Research Association as well. He said it is a community on the way to becoming an association founded by a group of musicians conducting music research in various regions throughout Anatolia without any intentions of financial gain. "Formed in 2014, the group is made up of music researchers, ethnomusicologists, music students, local performers and academics. What the organization does is work in a variety of regions throughout Anatolia, aiming to record melodies that are being forgotten and contributing to the archiving of traditional Anatolian music. The knowledge gained from this research is then presented in local music and dance performances, as well as at events such as concerts, presentations and seminars," this bright musician said.When the project started this summer, participants interested in preserving the cultural legacy he described stayed in adobe houses in the village. However, performances, workshops and seminars were held in a variety of locations, "One day we may be on the side of a creek and the next on the peak of a mountain," Mehmet told me, adding: "We are trying to present the compatible dance between nature and music." I asked what kind of activities the camp entailed to which he replied that if he were to go into detail about all they did, it would fill the entire newspaper. In short, he said: "Workshops, concerts, trips, talks, seminars and discussions were held," eloquently adding, "The spirit of nature arose from our instruments."Mehmet and the collection of performers that brought this summer's Music Village to life will be performing this week in Istanbul. They will also be giving talks and answering questions for anyone interested in furthering their knowledge of the Anatolian music tradition in a setting of nature. The Music Village collective will be performing four unique concerts and seminar sessions to introduce the project and perform the fruits of their labor.The program is as follows: On Dec. 1, Music Village comes to the Istanbul Technical University Advanced Research Center (MIAM) for a performance and talk starting at 1:00 p.m. and held at the Cevat Memduh Altar Salonu in Maçka. On Dec. 2, the Music Village performers head to Avcılar to perform their concert series titled "From Tradition to Universal" at the Barış Manço Cultural Center in Kadıköy starting at 8:00 p.m. On Dec. 3, the collective will perform and give a talk starting at 2:30 p.m. hosted by the Istanbul University Ethnomusicology and Folklore Department that will also be held at the Barış Manço Cultural Center. Their closing performance will be on Dec. 4 at 8:00 p.m. hosted by the Maltepe Municipality and held at the Türkan Saylan Cultural Center. All concerts, performances and talks will be free of charge and are open to the public.I asked Mehmet if everyone who participated or came to the Music Village this summer were skilled musicians. "We had participants in the project from a variety of professions. However, most friends had some sort of contact with music. Professional musicians were also participating and able to benefit from local performers' experiences. For the most part, however, students from conservatories as well as music and fine arts departments were the majority."I also asked Mehmet if any "yabancı" (foreigners or strangers) participated in the project to which he said: "We had no yabancı among us. This is because music was our language and in our hearts. There is room for everyone in our village regardless of religion, language or race. Therefore, we have never truly embraced the word 'yabancı.' However, if you are asking in terms of participants' countries, then yes there were friends who joined us who brought with them their smiles from nine different countries."To discover more about Turkey's musical legacy as well as the performers who are perpetuating it in a setting of nature in summer, Music Village's performances this week will be an opportunity to learn more about this innovative project and to participate in its future. The summer program held in Fethiye includes instrument lessons, workshops, local tours, debates and discussions, village concerts, film showings and even "soundpainting," all in a setting nearly 2,000 meters high among the Babadağ mountains' pine and sweetgum forests and mandarin and orange groves. To learn more about Turkey's instruments and musical traditions from locals and skilled musicians - in some of the best scenery possible - check out Music Village's collective efforts at this very special showcase coming to the city next week. For more information, check out the group's Facebook page.