Interview with Sıtkı Sahil: a dialectical view of tradition and modernity in Turkish Music

Abstract

This study examines the artistic career, pedagogical methodology, and musical legacy of Sıtkı Sahil (b. 1955, Erzurum), one of the prominent representatives of contemporary Turkish musicology. Analyzing Sahil’s multifaceted contributions to composition, choral conducting, and music education within their historical and cultural contexts, this research covers a wide spectrum, from his professional musical journey beginning as a contracted artist at TRT Erzurum Radio between 1978-1981 to the institutional structures and pedagogical models he developed after 1981 in Balıkesir. The study analyzes the phenomenological dimensions of Sahil’s composing practice, his search for authentic expression in religious music, and the dialectical relationship he established between classical Turkish music and modern approaches. His musical heritage, which includes over 1300 compositions, is evaluated not only as aesthetic production but also within the contexts of cultural transmission, pedagogical innovation, and institutional development. The existential approach that characterizes Sahil’s music as a "way of life," as well as his awareness of the ethical and philosophical dimensions of musical forms, are particularly emphasized. Academic initiatives such as the National Turkish Music Symposium initiated by Sahil in 1997 and social responsibility projects developed for disadvantaged communities reveal the multifaceted nature of his musical vision. The research concludes that Sahil's position in contemporary Turkish music culture represents a unique synthesis combining protective and innovative aspects, reflecting the dialectic between tradition and modernity. This synthesis is supported by intergenerational transmission mechanisms that can also be examined within the context of Bourdieu’s concept of "cultural capital" and establishes a systematic balance between the preservation of Turkish music’s historical heritage and its reinterpretation in contemporary contexts.