International Ankara Jazz Festival to be held in November

ANKARA

The 29th International Ankara Jazz Festival, supported by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, will bring together leading jazz artists from Türkiye and around the world between Nov. 13 and 30.

Held under the theme “Colors of Jazz,” the festival will offer a 17-day program featuring concerts, exhibitions, talks and masterclasses, according to a statement by the ministry.

Organized by the Jazz Association, the festival will host musicians from Türkiye as well as various European countries.

The event will open on Nov. 13 with a gala concert at Ankara HiltonSA, where world-renowned pianist Fahir Atakoğlu will share the stage with Volkan Öktem, Alp Ersönmez and Seçil Akmirza, kicking off the festival with a memorable performance.

Throughout the festival, concerts, exhibitions and educational events will take place at some of Ankara’s leading cultural venues. The program, spanning from young jazz musicians to international names, will offer audiences different interpretations of both classical and modern jazz.

Performers will include İlayda Hatipoğlu Quartet, Bilal Karaman, Şenay Lambaoğlu and Tuluğ Tırpan, Raquel Kurpershoek Quartet, Irma Peretti Quintet and Aydın Kahya, among many others.

The festival will conclude on Nov. 30 at METU KKM Kemal Kurdaş Hall, where METU Big Band, conducted by Ümit Eroğlu and featuring guest artist Yıldız İbrahimova, will perform the closing concert.

This year’s festival will also stand out for its educational and cultural exchange programs. Masterclasses organized in collaboration with Ankara Music and Fine Arts University and Hacı Bayram Veli University will provide young musicians with hands-on experience in jazz improvisation and vocal techniques.

In addition, the festival will feature the launch of the book “Jazz Writings from an Interdisciplinary Perspective” and an exhibition showcasing a design competition, highlighting the connection between jazz and other art forms.