Musicians from a variety of countries are coming to Washington, D.C. to perform the musical compositions of Ottoman Sultans

When people think of the Ottoman Sultans, the first thing that comes to mind is their political achievements, both domestic and international. However, as this concert displays, the Sultans were much more multifaceted than people often give them credit for. Calligraphists, artists, poets, scientists, philosophers and musicians, the Sultans devoted themselves to pursuits outside of the political realm. These men often became the foremost thinkers and artists in their fields of study, producing works that transcended politics and continue to be discussed and performed today.

This concert is an effort to present the works of our “Sultan Composers” with conductor and composer Musa Gocmen’s contemporary musical and orchestral approach in a universal style. As these musical pieces have been composed with universal notation and orchestration, they are now able to be performed everywhere in the world.