The Revival and Journey of the Ancient Harp
Project Genesis
The Turkish Harp project, pioneered by harpist Şirin Pancaroğlu took its first steps in 2008, shaped by two fundamental visions:
To convey Turkish music’s heritage, fostered by neighboring cultures inhabiting the same lands, to the world through the harp’s universal voice.
To reintroduce the çeng, Anatolia’s ancient and forgotten instrument, to the music world with a contemporary design.
Music as Universal Language
Music is an agent for interaction with transcultural power beyond words. Any music reaching us from any period of any culture in any geography communicates to the listener the spirit that created it in the first place. The ancient instrument family we call the harp, connects to our hunter-gatherer past; the vibration produced in the taut string when an arrow leaves the bow points at the origins of this instrument.
A Forgotten Heritage: The Çeng
The harp variant which came to be known as çeng in our geography exited the music scene in the late 17th century. This frequently encountered instrument, typically played sitting on the ground with approximately 25 strings, derived its distinctive sound color from the hide covering its body. This harp, often associated with both political power and Sufism, was the Ottoman palace’s elegant symbol.
Evliya Çelebi’s record in his Seyahatname from 1660, noting only one type of çeng and ten çeng players in Istanbul, stands as this instrument’s last written testimony. The çeng, with no historical example surviving today, is unfortunately known mostly through medieval and early modern period Iranian and Ottoman miniatures.
The Identity of Turkish Music
Usuls and Makams
The Turkish Harp project aims to convey the deep-rooted heritage of Turkish music, its musical reflections and interactions of Anatolia’s ancient cultures to the world through the harp’s universal language.
The musical system of usuls and makams, as Turkish music’s fundamental building blocks, hold depths yet undiscovered by many music cultures around the world.
To bring this musical heritage to the universal artistic platforms, the project targets:
- Methodological notation and publications of Turkish musical works
- Contemporary reinterpretations of traditional works arranged for harp
- Composition of original harp pieces based on Turkish makams and usuls
- Professional recordings of works, documentary-quality video productions
- International concert organizations and releases of recordings
- Education and dissemination/outreach activities
Alâim-i Semâ: A Modern take on tradition
Şirin Pancaroğlu’s “Alâim-i Semâ” (Rainbow) series, which arises from the TTH project, presents
innovative works bringing Turkish music’s multifaceted memory together with the spirit of the times. This series, based on Turkish music’s traditional usul and makam structures with diverse instrumental groups centered around the harp, masterfully blends the traditional with the new.
These works reach global audiences through digital platforms like Spotify and YouTube, offering
listeners a multilayered journey into depths of Turkish music
Concrete Achievements
The Revival of the Çeng
Reimagining a lost instrument and reviving it for use in the music world requires close collaboration between instrument makers a
nd performers dedicated to bringing it to life.
This process must address issues related to design, sound projection, ergonomics, repertoire, and reliability to allow for the instrument’s reintegration into the music circles. Several Turkish instrument makers contributed prototypes on this journey. Some failed, others yielded results usable for certain periods.
- 4 çeng prototypes were developed: 2008, 2010, 2013, 2016
Turkish Harp Sheet Music Collection
- A 24-volume collection was prepared with Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism support, 2021-2022 https://theturkishharp.com/#Music
- Published by 80 Days Publishing in England, 2022 https://80dayspublishing.com/collections/pedal-harp/the-turkish-harp-music-collection
- An open resource educational material, entitled “Flavours of Turkish Music for Harpists” was created, 2025 https://80dayspublishing.com/collections/lever-harp-downloads/flavours-of-turkish-music
World harpists including Mai Fukui from Japan, Veronika Lemishenko from Ukraine, Michelle Sweegers from Netherlands, Tamsin Dearnley and Keziah Thomas from UK and Alexandra Bidi from France and Silke Aichorn from Germany performed Turkish music on world stages with these works.
Four works from the music collection were selected for the ABRSM (Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music) education program, established in the UK and implemented in 90 countries, thus allowing the representation of Turkish musical tradition on this platform.
One piece from the collection was included in the contest repertoire of the 2024 Rave Harp Prestige Awards in Singapore, performed by 20 contestants from different countries.
Echoes in the World Press
P.D.L.T. Magazine: https://sirinpancaroglu.com.tr/interview-the-turkish-harp-p-d-l-t/
World Harp Congress Rewiev 2023 Fall: https://sirinpancaroglu.com.tr/interview-world-harp-congress-review-2023/
Sabah Gazetesi: https://www.sabah.com.tr/magazin/batida-egitim-aldim-ama-turk-muzigine-yoneldim-6326765
Anadolu Ajansı: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/kultur/arpist-sirin-pancaroglu-turk-arpi-projesini-anlatti/2796647
Hürriyet Gazetesi: https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kitap-sanat/turk-arpinin-izinde-42162776
2024: Turkish Harp on World Stages through the “Çeng Opens to the World Through Meşk” project sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism:
- 63 events realized in 12 countries from Hungary to USA, Poland to China
- Prestigious host institutions including Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (USA), Liszt Academy (Hungary), The Arts House (Singapore), CUHK Concert Hall (China)
- 4 new compositions from the project were published and performed on world music stages
- Şirin Pancaroğlu performed the çeng in the film “Diversity Respected and Beauty Shared” for the Chinese New Year (China)
Goals for 2025
- Çeng design development
- Recording and production of unpublished and newly composed works in Alaim-i Sema Project
- 2026 World Harp Congress (Toronto) participation
- Regular annual promotion and education activities at music education universities worldwide
Institutional Support Received to Date
Tekfen Vakfı 2007-2008
İstanbul Avrupa Kültür Başkenti Ajansı 2010
Başbakanlık Tanıtma Fonu 2011
Ardival Harps 2016
T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı 2020-2024
Camac Harps 2021
80 Days Publishing 2022-
T.C. Dışişleri Bakanlığı 2024
Lyon & Healy Harps 2024
