Attracting interest with its concert programs on international platforms, the Lamekan Ensemble will perform at Boğaziçi University's Albert Long Hall On Feb. 27. The band is comprised of virtuosos from Germany, France, Belgium and Turkey. The group will perform the works of Küçük Mehmet Agha, Zekai Dede, Tatyos Efendi, Tanburi Cemil Bey and Sultan Selim III in Turkish. They will delight the audience with Ottoman court and art music.Members of the Lamekan Ensemble Tristan Driessens (Ud)As the founder of the Lamekan Ensemble, Driessens earned a master's degree in Turkish ud at the Lemmens Institut and musicology at the Universite libre de Bruxelles. He studied the ud with Necati Çelik and lived in Istanbul for a period to improve his knowledge of Ottoman makams. Driessens also took ud lessons from Yurdal Tokcan and Naseer Shamma in Crete. The young musician has worked with leading names from the international music scene including Kudsi Ergüner, Tcha Limberger and Mohamed Abozekry. While conducting his projects he has travelled to different countries such Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey and Germany. In 2011 he founded the Lamekan Ensemble, bringing a breath of fresh air to Ottoman music. Driessens started an initiative to open an Ottoman music class at the master's level at the Lemmens Institut to gather interested students. His initiative aims to introduce Turkish ud abroad. Driessens's efforts were awarded with a Silver Horse prize by the Yunus Emre Institute in 2012.Rıdvan Aydınlı (Vocals and Ney)Born in 1988, Aydınlı began his Ottoman music education with Gönül Paçacı at Boğaziçi University. Since 2006 he continues his ney, a reed flute, studies with Hakan Alvan and also other musicians like Ahmet Şahin and Fikret Bertuğ. As a vocalist, he has been inspired by many renowned names, notably Bekir Sıtkı Sezgin, a senior Turkish classical musician who died in 1996. Fikret Karakaya and Cem Bahar are the two other important figures whose studies in music history and theory have influenced Aydınlı. In addition to his musical education, Aydınlı studied economics at Boğaziçi University. He has never lost his passion for music and continued to appear as ney player and vocalist during the concerts of the Istanbul University State Conservatory Classical Turkish Music Group around the country. Aydınlı took an active role in managing the university's music projects as editor and president. Among his notable projects mentioned are an honor concert by Istanbul Historical Turkish Music Ensemble in 2009, Itri ve Dönemi (Itri and his Era) concert by the Istanbul University State Conservatory Classical Turkish Music Group at the Yıldız Palace in 2012 and 2013 and Itri Concerts with the Boğaziçi University Classical Turkish Music Group in Sarajevo.Ruben Tenenbaum (Violin)The French violinist has enjoyed a successful musical career in Istanbul since 2009. Born in 1987, Tenenbaum has worked with Serdar Pazarcıoğlu, Necati Çelik, Derya Türkan, Kemal Demir and Fahrettin Çimenli, all of whom contributed to his knowledge of violin and Ottoman makam music. He shuttles between Turkey and Europe and gives regular concerts with the Lamekan Ensemble, Reng-i Dil and Taş Plak Kumpanyası. His improvisational skills and mastery of delicate expression are well known in musical circles. The young violinist enhanced his knowledge of Ottoman music, improvisation and modern music with his group the Kemik Trio. Efren Lopez, Lior Blindermann, Can Yıldırım, Wassim Hallal, Vincent Posty and Anıl Eraslan have contributed to his musical career.Muhittin Kemal Temel (Kanun)The 35-year-old musician began his kanun education in 1992 with Eyüp Fırat. He studied singing and classical Turkish music theory with kanun player and composer İsmet Alpaslan. In 1996, he became the student of famous composer and kanun player Göksel Baktagir. Participating in many projects and training groups, Temel later worked with Necati Çelik, Murat Coşkun, Derya Türkan, Münip Utandı, İnci Çayırlı and Aydın Varol.Robbe Kieckens (Percussion)Born in 1981, Kieckens spent his childhood in Africa where he discovered percussion. When he settled in Belgium he started to study rhythm and tempo of flamenco, African, Turkish and Persian music. The more he discovered different cultures, the more he created his own style and improved his musicality. His instrument collection features djembe, dunums, riqq, tombak, tambourine, daf, calabash and udu. The popular Belgian percussionist has appeared with Maggid, La Sieste du dromadaire, Lamekan Ensemble, Mirdinn De Cauter and Bazaar d'Orient.Simon Leleux (Percussion)Born in 1990, Simon Leleux began his percussion education at the age of 10 when he met Azzedine Jazouli. He specialized in percussion after taking Turkish daf and bendir lessons from Mısırlı Ahmet and intensive tonbak lessons from Iranian Madjid Khaladj. Moreover, he took courses from Pedram Khavarzamini and Zohar Fresco in Greece. Currently, Leleux is continuing his master's studies at Codarts University for the Arts in Rotterdam. He is working on his solo style as well as Ottoman rhythm systems (usûl) under the guidance of Kudsi Ergüner.