World-renowned Turkish-Armenian musician Arto Tunçboyacıyan, rock singer Yaşar Kurt, and the Armenian Navy Band take the stage in New York to sing ‘Against Hatred and Animosity.’ Hürriyet Daily News talks to Binnaz Saktanber, one of the names inspired to organize such a concert, and musicians Tunçboyacıyan and Kurt.
The words by Arto Tunçboyacıyan, the Turkish-Armenian avant-garde folk singer and the virtuoso of percussion, say so much about the drive behind his music and his concerts: “I am proud not because I am an Armenian but because I am human.”
Tunçboyacıyan continues to be an infallible voice of peace through his music. Last week, he took stage in New York ‘Against Hatred and Animosity’ in front of a diverse audience.
Having hosted such music legends like Marianne Faithfull, Philip Glass, and Tony Bennett, New York’s The Kaye Playhouse brought together Tunçboyacıyan, the rock singer Yaşar Kurt and musicians from the Armenian Navy Band with Turkish, Armenian, American (and a combination of these) audience on May 8. The night was dedicated to the fallen Turkish journalist of Armenian heritage, and the editor-in-chief of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos newspaper, Hrant Dink. The benefit concert for the International Hrant Dink Foundation featured songs from the collaborative work of the group, under the name of Yash-ar, from their debut album ‘Against Hatred and Animosity,’ which included a song written in memory of Dink.
The concert was a collaborative effort between the Moon and Stars Project and the Turkish American Society. You might know the not-for-profit organization, Moon and Stars Project, from its annual New York Turkish Film Festival, meeting the film enthusiasts for the 12th time this year.
Moon and Stars, and cultural interaction
The organization is dedicated to highlighting the changing face of Turkish arts and culture and establishing a two-way cultural interaction between the United States and Turkey. The Vice President of Moon and Stars Project, Binnaz Saktanber says that, “the concert was a unique opportunity in bringing together members of the Turkish-American and Armenian-American communities.” She adds that the Moon and Stars Project is “a unique organization that all our staff members including the board itself is comprised of volunteers, young-professionals, students who devote their time and energy to produce these festivals and programs. We are a close-knit group and all of our programs including this very concert is a labor of love.”
With a troubled history and ongoing political, social and cultural hurdles to mutual understanding, the concert comes at a time of renewed reconciliation efforts between the two countries. “The concert offers a meaningful opportunity to celebrate the role of music in uniting communities together and promoting cultural diversity,” said Saktanber. Highlighting the late Turkish-Armenian journalist’s lifelong struggle to foster dialogue between the peoples of Turkey and Armenia and their respective communities worldwide, Saktanber said: “This special program is a genuine effort to follow in his footsteps. The Moon and Stars Project was founded upon a strong conviction in the importance of diversity and multiplicity of voices. We believe in the unifying force of arts and we set our program in line with that. The idea of this concert was a continuation of our mission.
“Unfortunately because there is hatred and animosity, there is such a concert,” said Tunçboyacıyan. And what kind of impact does such a concert would have over the reconciliation effort between the peoples of Turkey and Armenia? “We are going through a period of transition. There will inevitably be ruptures. If these ruptures are small, the better,” added Tunçboyacıyan.
Yaşar Kurt, who had previously taken stage for a message of peace in the music festival Barışarock, said: “It is important to believe in what you are doing. We believed in our collaborative effort, collaborative music. And this energy led us to places we would never have dreamed of.” Kurt’s sentiments ring true with the inspiration behind the concert: “I hope the concert will have an impact in creating dialogue. Both sides need to try harder to understand one another.”
Celebration in the capital of diversity
Saktanber said there were two forces of inspirations in dreaming of such a concert: “Bringing together Turkish and Armenian musicians on the same stage in New York, what could be called the capital of cultural diversity. And drawing attention to Hrant Dink’s efforts on establishing dialogue between the Turkish and Armenian people, making these efforts his legacy, and supporting the International Hrant Dink Foundation which flags his vision.”
When talking about the political tensions between two countries and the Armenian diaspora, Saktanber said, “Their goal is not to become part of the political agenda or contribute to that agenda in any way.” She added that they are “happy that the concert coincides with the recent reconciliation efforts between the two countries, and hope that they continue.”
Tunçboyacıyan is also clear in his message about the Armenian diaspora: “I have never seen myself as part of the diaspora. I don’t live my life in constricted definitions. There is a whole different dimension to being part of the diaspora, and I don’t share that mentality.” Tunçboyacıyan said he found the audience to be “positive, in good faith and respectful, despite differences of opinion.” Kurt said the concert was “beyond what he had dreamed of.”
Recalling that New York is a city filled with Turkish and Armenian communities, Saktanber said the concert truly was an inspirational event, what they had hoped for and more. “It was an evening where both communities were the hosts, where they came together to have a good time, had the chance to meet with people from the other community, sang together, and shared an evening without any borders. It was truly memorable.”
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