The İstanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (İKSV) is continuing to carry Turkish culture to Europe's capitals with the "Turkey Now" festival, running from Jan. 29-April 21 in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. This is the third "Turkey Now" festival, following successful appearances in Berlin in 2004 and Stuttgart in 2005.

The "Turkey Now" festival kicked off with a concert by Turkish pop star Sezen Aksu accompanied by the Metropole Orchestra, Holland's best pop-jazz orchestra, under the baton of Arjan Tien.

"Turkey Now" will be ongoing in eight venues, offering an array of musical performances, from classical to world, jazz to pop. There will be over 25 performances, including theater performances, dances and films. Famous pianist Fazıl Say will be featured in two special performances accompanied by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. Among the favorites of the festival are the Ministry or Culture and Tourism Ankara State Opera and Ballet's show "Spring Tango," the Borusan Oda Orchestra's concert under the baton of Joseph Wolfe, fusion artist of Sufi and electronic music Mercan Dede and Turkish rap's rising star Ceza.

{josquote}Other performances include Kardeş Türküler (folkloric Turkish songs); Hüsnü Şenlendirici, a Turkish clarinet virtuoso who will take to the stage with Serbian group, Balkanopolis; İlhan Erşahin, a saxophonist who will be sharing his latest project "İstanbul Sessions"; Athena, a Turkish ska group; Portecha, with its electro-acoustic sound; and Turkish alternative musician Hayko Cepkin.{/josquote}

One of the festival's most colorful fusion works will be by Uğur Işık, a violinist who combines the various tones of Anatolian music, collaborating with cellist Erik van der Westen and Ethnorhythmix to create sounds combining India, Iran, Spain and Turkey. Jazz guitarist Onur Ataman, trumpet player Eric Vloemens, Ayşe Tütüncü and her trio -- who have been featured in many important jazz concerts throughout Europe -- and famous jazz vocalist Sibel Köse's concert will also be memorable.

"Turkey Now" has a theater segment that will feature the modern choreography of Mustafa Kaplan "Solum" and Samuel Beckett's "End of the play," directed by Pierre Chabert and featuring Genco Erkal in the lead role. "Turkey Now" will also include an array of movies that represent modern Turkish cinema, such as Yeşim Ustaoğlu's "A Voyage to the Sun," Fatih Akın's "Memoirs of Istanbul: Passing the Bridge" and Ferzan Özpetek's "Harem Suare." In tandem with "Turkey Now," an exhibit titled "Istanbul: the City and the Sultan" will shed light on the Ottoman Empire. The exhibit will be on display until April 15 at De Nieuwe Kerk.