Eren Akşahin (* 1992) is Bağlama interpreter and a composer. His music, a synthesis between Anatolian folklore and Western classical timbres, may be called contemporary Anatolian folk music. It is characterised by a strong sensitivity and authenticity for the foundations of Anatolian folk music, as well as by an emphasis on beauty of sound and innovation on his own instrument.
He completed his professional musical education in the subjects World Music with an emphasis on Anatolian Music and Bağlama at the Conservatory in Rotterdam (Bachelor). 2017 Eren finished the master’s program of the Conservatory Rotterdam (Bağlama, guitar and composition). Eren deals with the integration of the bağlama into a chamber music context. He took lessons with Kemal Dinc, Robin de Raaf, Kay Sleking, Dr. Oscar v. Dillen, Paul v. Brugge.
As a performer he collaborated with renowned musicians such as Kemal Dinc, Ahmet Aslan, Sakina Teyna and many others. Played at the Concertgebouw Amsterdam and in 2012 he appeared as part of the Augsburg Peace Festival with the Augsburg Philharmonic. With the Kemal Dinc trio he performed at the Ochsenfurter Guitar festival where he had the chance to perform with grand maestro Carlo Domeniconi which is one of his artistic and musical idols.
His current projects vary from traditional folkloristic Music to Ethno-Jazz crossovers and western chamber music where he introduces his instrumental performances as well as new compositions.
He plays with Sakina Teyna, Sinan Arat, Cigdem Okuyucu, Oscar Antoli, Duygu Alkan and many more. In addition, Eren is the founding member of the Nor Ashkhar Ensemble, in which he plas Bağlama and has artistic direction.