Photograph by Ara Güler
There are two exciting opportunities for Turkish artists and musicians who wish to study and develop their performance and creative skills this summer.
The Berklee College of Music is hosting <b>Aspire: Five-Week Music Performance Intensive</b> from 11 July to 14 August 2020. From one-on-one instruction with Berklee’s renowned faculty to a rigorous curriculum offering college credit, this immersive programme will enhance students’ instrumental or vocal performance mastery. The programme includes a mix of private instruction, instrumental labs, ensembles, theory, performance and musicianship training, and it culminates with a final week of concerts. The Arif Mardin Music Fellowship supports Turkish musicians who wish to attend the programme; the fellowship includes tuition, housing, and fees, as well as a stipend. Fellows are selected by the Berklee through [an application process](https://www.berklee.edu/summer/programs/five-week-summer-program/scholarships?mc_cid=0ad8b15380&mc_eid=e50dc78dd8).
Arif Mardin, the Turkish-born, award-winning arranger and producer is an icon in the American music industry. He always supported Turkish musicians and the Turkish music scene, and this fellowship was established by the Berklee College of Music and the American Turkish Society in his honour. In an interview with David Barchard for Cornucopia, Mardin said of Turkish music: 'I hope we never lose our heritage. It is vast and great and something we must protect.'
The American Turkish Society also supports one Turkish/Turkish-born artist to attend the <b>School of Visual Art's Summer Residency Programme</b> in New York City. It is an internationally renowned programme that offers artists, designers and creative thinkers time, space and a supportive community in which to develop ideas and focus on their artistic direction. Work in the studio is supported by individual studio visits from core faculty as well as from visiting artists, critics and arts professionals. The programme has two tracks: painting and mixed media and a residency in contemporary practice. Session 1 runs from 1 June to 2 July 2020 and session 2 from 7 July to 7 August 2020. The programme culminates in an open studio exhibition, which enables the participants to present their work to the public.
For more details and to submit an application, please visit the [SVA’s application website.](https://svacontinuingeducation.submittable.com/submit/153524/2020-summer-residency-program)
