Рубрика: RUMI FEST

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ornaments of melodies, dances and colours…

In 2019 the VI International Festival of Oriental Art and Music “RUMI FEST” featured a range of cultural events.

The organizing society made every effort to let the event become a joyful occasion, and gives their thanks to all the participants and guests of the festival, who helped to make the festival unforgettable. A very special thank you to our partners for their support of the Festival! That was a holiday for everyone!

And now we will try to tell about the “RUMI FEST” this year more in detail.

The VI Festival of Oriental Art and Music “RUMI FEST” was opened with the Ebru Art exhibition. The exhibition presented art works by the special guest from Turkey – Ozden Aidin, students of the studio EBRU RĪGA, pupils of the gymnasium “Maxima”, wards of Riga social care and rehabilitation centre (SARC) branch “Kalnciems”, who are studying and practicing the art of Ebru. That amazing exhibition and master classes under the guidance of Ozden Aidin opened a new page in cultural exchange between Latvia and Turkey, gave a chance to touch the ancient culture of the oriental country.

For more information about the exhibition please search here.

Ozden Aidin’s master classes and workshops were held from 5 until 10 May. The program included a training seminar for children, a training seminar for adults, master classes of Ebru and an in-depth study of Ebru technique. The master classes of Ebru were open for everyone interested in this ancient art of drawing on water. Ozden Aidin was very pleased and enthusiastic in showing a lot of interesting and sophisticated Ebru techniques. Visitors could work individually and under the master’s guidance.

The main events of the Festival took place in September, just before the birthday of Jalaluddin Rumi. This year “RUMI FEST” presented art projects and tandems of musicians and artists from various countries, who united specially for the festival  “RUMI FEST” and made concert programs that open new approaches, new dimensions and combinations of musical styles and art genres.

Day 1 — 26/09/2019.

The musical part of the Festival was opened with the concert by the Turkish dance virtuoso Alper Akçay accompanied by the trio of Iranian musicians “Hamdam”. Alper Akçay is a multigenre artist, he demonstrated his mastery dance improvisation based on ancient mystical Sufi rituals, original pieces of choreography, combining whirling and dance. “Hamdam” plays the repertoire of compositions based on poems by the greatest Sufi poet and philosopher Jalaluddin Rumi. Lyrical and entrancing mix of Rumi’s poetry, sounds of Ney (reed flute), played by one of the world best Ney players Dariush Rasouli, completed by Iranian Daf and Kurdish Lute enchanted the audience. The concert venue was the hall of the Riga Latvian Society House.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][us_gallery ids=»1884,1887,1890,1893,1896,1899,1902,1905,1908,1911,1914,1917,1920,1923,1926,1929,1932,1935,1944,1950,1953,1956,1959,1965,1968,1974,1980,1983,1986,1992″ columns=»6″ indents=»1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator thick=»3″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Day 2 — 27/09/2019.

Dinle sözümü sana direm özge edâdır
Dervîş olana lâzım olan aşk-ı Hudâ’dır
Âşıkın nesi var ise ma’şûka fedâdır
Semâ safâ câna şifâ rûha gıdâdır

Listen to my words, as they might be strange to perceive:
All a dervish needs is his Love to God,
all a loving one has is his sacrifice to Beloved,
Sema is purification and joy, cure for soul and feast for the spirit to live
(translated from Turkish)

This year, for the second time Latvia gave home to the Sema ceremony with all its canonic contours. The Mevlevi Sema ceremony has become well known all over the world, in 2005 UNESCO proclaimed the Sema ceremony a Masterpiece within the framework of the UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Mevlevi Sema was demonstrated to a wide audience to the Sema canonic music, which remained intact since foundation of the Mevlevi Order in Konya in XIII century, and was played by the Turkish musicians. The musicians, who do not give public concerts, but share their mastery exclusively at ceremonies and rituals, performed on 27 September at VEF Culture Palace. It was a unique concerts due to its purpose and contents. The Sema was performed by Mevlevi dervishes from Riga.

And one more promo waited the audience at the end — a gift card from a reliable partner of the Festival “RumiFest” — the tourist agent «NOVATOURS» — was raffled.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][us_gallery ids=»2001,2007,2010,2013,2022,2028,2034,2037,2040,2046,2049,2052,2055,2058,2061,2064,2067,2070,2073,2076,2082,2085,2088,2091,2094,2097,2106,2109,2112,2115″ columns=»6″ indents=»1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator thick=»3″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]Day 3 and 4 — 28-29/09/2019.

In Riga and Liepaja the audience enjoyed the opportunity to immerse into the flashy folk colour of Georgia, meet the temper and traditions of folk music, song and dance. Spectators could see a joint project of two folk ensembles: the folk-group “Chveneburebi” and the ballet “Lelo”, which demonstrated musical folklore and folk dances in the chain of dance and vocal and instrumental performances on stage.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][us_gallery ids=»2409,2412,2415,2418,2421,2424,2427,2430,2433,2436,2439,2442,2445,2448,2451,2454,2457,2460,2463,2466,2469,2472,2475,2478,2481,2484,2487,2490,2493,2496,2499,2502,2505,2508,2511,2514″ columns=»6″ indents=»1″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator thick=»3″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]For more detailed information about the concerts and artists please search here.

In our Facebook and Instagram you can see more photos and videos made during  the Festival concerts and events.

The organizing party gives its thank you to all the participants, partners and guests for such a wonderful holiday!

Good-bye for the moment and see you next time at the VII Festival of Oriental Art and Music “RUMI FEST”![/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Physiological aspects of the Sema ceremony.

Watching how easily, if not weightlessly, Mevlevi dervishes whirl in their white robes, often we do not even think about the reason of this weightlessness. Just imagine: the velocity of Semazen’s turns depends on musical rhythm and can reach 33-40 turns per minute. The Sema can last up to approximately two hours. This article is going to tell about some physical and physiological aspects of the Sema ceremony.

How can Mevlevi dervishes whirl during quite a long time without feeling any dizziness, queasiness, or other “vestibular symptoms”? This is achieved only through the system of exercises and trainings held according to certain rules.

Everyone, who starts Sema training, is observed to have the mentioned above symptoms. This is a normal physiological reaction. To avoid overburdening the vestibular system, Sema training goes step by step, starting with short, two-minute exercises. Duration of trainings increases when a Semazen stops feeling dizziness.

Dervishes believe that the one wishing to become a Semazen, must clear himself of negative emotions and bad thoughts. This clearing happens in the process of training, along with clearing of the organism. Despite the absence of strict alimentary prohibitions, Mevlevis tried to avoid eating junk, indigestible foods. Semazens must be neither stuffed, nor too hungry. As a rule the Sema is performed few hours after meals, towards evening time.

If talking about the Semazen’s posture during whirling, it should be noted that such movements as a full turn, a turn with raised up arms, balance on one leg, walking along a straight line with simultaneous spinning about oneself are applied in modern otolaryngology and neurology for diagnostic testing of the vestibular organ. Exactly due to such a head posture three semicircular canals, located in the inner ear, are stimulated evenly, which decreases the risk of dizziness, being caused by overstimulation of one of these canals.

Nowadays medical recommendations on fighting dizziness coincide generally with those used by Semazens in their practices: sitting close to the centre of gravity in transport, holding the head upright, avoiding excessive movements, looking straight ahead at the horizon, practicing vestibular rehabilitation: gaze stabilization, habituation, balance training, counting, guessing puzzles and riddles, singing, etc..
Balance of a moving man is provided with functioning of three systems: the vestibular organ, sight and feet nerve terminals. From medical point of view the Sema represents a complex of exercises, which aids to prevent dizziness, and its value in this aspect has not been depreciated also nowadays.

The Semazen’s skirt, when expanding during the Sema, creates the so-called aerodynamic effect, thanks to it a Semazen feels himself lighter and starts whirling faster. This helps to decrease dizziness. Mevlevis call the skirt “a pan lid”, it reminds this item because of its round shape. White colour of the tennure (robe) does not provoke dizziness, unlike other colours.

Semazens know that if they fix gaze at a certain point, their head will not be swimming. That is why they fix their gaze at the thumb of the left hand. Their eyes are half-covered with eyelids. They do not care what is happening around them. In such a posture a Semazen sees everything around him as in the dump haze, and dizziness stops.

Such techniques, as it is known, are used during sea-voyages or overland journeys. It is necessary to look ahead, in the direction of movement. By fixing gaze at some immobile item – a tree, a rock or a mount, you can weaken the feeling of nausea. Seamen usually recommend passengers to look at the sky-line.

The Sema is a ceremony aimed at concentration, unification with the Universe, self-denial, and service. There also exist religious and psychological aspects in the Semazen practice, which improve physical resistance of their organism. Before the Sema begins a ritual ablution (bath) is made. During the revolutions the name of Allah is repeated. By opening arms during revolutions, Semazens hold them in the shape of the Arab letter “lam”, thus the very body of theirs represent the words of the prayer “La illaha il Allah” (“There is no God except for Allah”).

Based on the book by Professor Fuat Yöndemli “Training in the Sufi fraternity of Mevlevi” translated by Yury Averyanov [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A bit about the Mevlevi fraternity and Sema

The Mevlevi fraternity (order) was founded by the sheikh Sultan Veled (1226–1312), inspired by the ideas and way of life of his father, a great Persian mystic Muhammad Jalaluddin Rumi (1207–1273), known in Turkey as Mevlana Rumi.

Among all the Turkish Sufi communities the Mevlevi fraternity was the most prolific in artistic sphere. It has been a host for a good many of musicians, poets, artists and philosophers over the course of many centuries. The refined pieces of music were composed in Mevlevi khanqahs, which further became the foundation for Turkish traditional musical culture and satisfy even the most sophisticated tastes. In the days of the Ottoman Empire every a Mevlevi khanqah was a kind of an academy of music, a fine art academy and a faculty of literature at the same time. Those khanqahs were called Mevlevi Khane.

Sema is really a unique ritual, and Konya dervishes have reached their refined mastership in its performance. It clearly demonstrates a spiritual journey. In the times of Jalaluddin Rumi Sema was performed upon arrival of mystic inspiration, despite of place and time, at the very moment the initiate felt inspiration and spiritual ecstasy. Only in the times of Sultan Veled’s grand grand-son – Peer Adilya Chelebi (about 1460) – Sema got its existing ritualized form and became an integral part of solemn Mevlevi ceremonies.

Compilated based on the article “Paradise dance in Konya”

(Extracts from the book by Professor Fuat Yöndemli translated by Yury Averyanov, PhD in History)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Instruments used in the Mevlevi ceremonies

This year talented musicians from different cities of Turkey have united to perform at VI International Festival of Oriental Art and Music “RUMI FEST”. The group name is Meydan Musiki. All of them are well-known in their homeland for their achievements and research in the field of music. Their performance is a magnificent example of authentic ancient melodies. In the first part of the concert, which will take place on 27 September at VEF Culture Palace, the musicians will play classical Turkish music of the Ottoman Empire, and the Mevlevi music. In the second part the audience will see the Big Sema Ceremony, which roots back into centuries, to the time when the Mevlevi order was founded in Konya.

Musicians and singers of Meydan Musiki:

Harun Korkmaz – vocal
Ahmet Cavit Altinkaynak – ney
Engin Baykal – kudum and bendir
Yusuf İhsan Tökel – tanbur

Let’s go a little deeper into the history and touch the issue of musical instruments, which have been played by the Mevlevi members since ancient times during their praying sessions and Sema ceremonies.

The Sufi ceremony Sema includes whirling, playing musical instruments, singing, recitation of prayers, wearing symbolic garments. Considerable attention in the ceremony is attached to music and used musical instruments, filled with deep sacral meaning.[/vc_column_text][us_separator size=»small» thick=»2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=»2/3″][vc_column_text]The REBAB

An ancient bow instrument of Arabic origin. Its body consists of a halved coconut shell with either thin leather or the membrane of a cattle’s heart stretched across the opening. Protruding from the body is a rather cylindrical neck with wooden tuning pegs at one end. It has a foot stand, or holder, made of wood or metal. The strings hold the bridge in place over the stretched skin of the body. The sound of the rebab is produced by moving the bow hairs over the strings. The strings are also made of hairs. The Rebab produces touching emotional tones.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=»1/3″][us_single_image image=»1626″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator size=»small» thick=»2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=»2/3″][vc_column_text]The Ney

The Ney is made up of a special type of yellow-colored reed consisting of tough fibers and nine naturally joined segments. It grows abundant in warm moist climates. The choicest varieties are to found growing along the Nile and Ceyhan Rivers. What is usually the case is that in a reed bed of a thousand reeds, perhaps only one single reed is suitable for producing the Ney. Any dyestuff or wax is not used in Ney production with a mind to preserving its natural attributes. A Ney can remain in service for well up to 200-300 years with even a gradual increase in playability provided that it is well protected and properly maintained. A Ney’s color may darken in the course of time, and if this is the case, it is considered more precious.

The Ney is the symbol of the “Perfect Man” who has matured by passing through many phases of purification. The Ney, discolored, hollowed out and bored through with holes, pines for its reed bed. While pining, it mournfully wails its innermost secrets to all mankind. These secrets are divine revelations about the love. For this reason the Ney is deemed. People, who play the ney are called “neyzen”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=»1/3″][us_single_image image=»1623″ size=»medium»][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator size=»small» thick=»2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=»2/3″][vc_column_text]The KUDUM

Made of beaten copper, the kudum consists of two drums, each 28-30 cm in diameter and 16-18 cm in height. Tanned leather or camel leather thinned to a thickness of 1-2 mm is stretched over each drum with the help of ropes. The kudum is tuned by tightening or loosening the ropes. The accented right-handed drum taps are called “tek”, and the weaker left-handed taps are called “dum”. The auxiliary taps into which rhythms are subdivided are called “velvete”.

The kudum is played with two wooden sticks called “zahme”. These are made of hard and heavy wood and are roughly 24-28 cm in length. A person who plays kudum is called a “kudumzen”. The smaller drum of the kudum is called “nakkare”, and the bigger one is “kos”, and the two are used in Mehter Music (the band music of the Ottoman military).

The Mevlevi Sufis call the kudum “kudum-I serif” (the sacred kudum), thus regarding the kudum as sacred, as the Ney was regarded as sacred. People, who play the kudum are called “kudumzen”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=»1/3″][us_single_image image=»1617″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator size=»small» thick=»2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=»2/3″][vc_column_text]The BENDIR and DAIRE (DAF)

Usually made from walnut wood, the frame is 30-60 cm in diameter and 6-8 cm wide. The skin, less than 1 mm thick, is stretched across it. Usually camel, cattle, goat and sheep leathers are preferred.

Like the other instruments in tekke Music, the bendir is assigned a sacred status with the name “bendir-I serif”, or “mahzar-I serif” (the sacred bendir, or mahzar, respectively). The bendir is to be played with the hands, with one hand holding it from below. It is held above waist level, and never placed on the knee or between legs. It is played with the fingers, palm and backside of the free hand, which strike the skin at varying angles and with varying strength. The result is such that the skin is either struck or brushed. The free hand can be accomplished by the fingers of the hand holding the instrument. Those who play bendir are called “bendirzen”, while those who play the daf – “defzen”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=»1/3″][us_single_image image=»1611″ size=»medium»][us_single_image image=»1614″ size=»medium»][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator size=»small» thick=»2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=»2/3″][vc_column_text]The HALILE

The discs of this percussive instrument, resembling pot covers, are played by either clashing the two discs head-on, or by sliding them across each other. The discs are pierced at their centers where leather handles are tied. It is possible to produce high or low pitched sounds which are either staccato or sustained. Halile players are called “halilezen”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=»1/3″][us_single_image image=»1645″][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][us_separator size=»small» thick=»2″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]The Mevlevi fraternity has been paying a great attention to musical education at all times. Music and playing musical instruments, apart from mathematics, astronomy, art and other fundamental disciplines, were among the main subjects that were studied at the school of dervishes. Music, songs, playing musical instruments were an integral part of daily life of the fraternity, be it household activities, a holiday or a Sufi session. Thus the information about the Mevlevis, their traditions and foundations, would be incomplete and inaccurate, if we would not try, though shortly,  to share some facts on this topic.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The Magic of reed flute

This breath in the Ney is fire and isn’t a sheer blow,
He who hasn’t this fire let him die and let him go.

It is the fire of love that has made the Ney demented,
And is love-desire that renders the wine fermented.

The Ney is a friend to those who lose their companions,
Our breasts are also pierced like the Ney’s divisions.

Who has ever seen an antidote and poison like the Ney?
Who has ever seen a consoling friend like the Ney?

Rhymed Translation by Türkman, 1996

(Extract of Song of the Reed – the opening lines of the Masnawi by Jalaluddin Rumi)

The Reed Flute (Ney) is Jalaluddin Rumi’s most favourite instrument; its image permeates the whole artistic heritage of the great poet and has an immense symbolic meaning.

Empty inside, a reed flute starts producing sweet sounds when filled with player’s breath. Same way a man gets his life, when achieves it as a gift with the first breath by the will of Almighty. In his works Rumi tells that human soul sufferings during the life time are similar to the holes in the Ney, and the Master turns a reed into a wonderful instrument with help of these holes. Thus a human heart in the beginning of life is a mere reed, but the life path, full of various events, turns it into a flute filled by Almighty with the music of divine love. And alas the melody of a human heart is beginning to sound and is striving to join its ultimate source (the Divine).

According to Rumi, the roof and the doors of the temple of Love were made of songs and verses. The one, whose heart hears the sounds of flute and whose heartbeat echoes in time with the heartbeat of the Universe, dances this life. The doors of the temple of Love are open to everyone…

Mesmerizing tunes of the Ney played by one of the best ney players in the world Dariush Rasouli (one of the trio “Hamdam”) are going to sound on the first day of our festival. The audience will see a joint concert by Alper Akcay (Turkey), performing ancient mystic Anatolian dances to the sounds of authentic Persian music by the trio “Hamdam” (Iran). The trio’s repertoire consists mainly of music pieces based on Rumi’s poetry. The dance and the music will tell us how the magic of art infuses the world around with colours of joy and inspiration. Refined combination of Jalaluddin Rumi’s poetry, sounds of ney, Iranian daf and Kurdish lute will charm the audience, as indeed – music is the world beyond, the strings of life itself.

More on rumifest.lv

VI International Festival of Oriental Art and Music “RUMI FEST”

Riga, 26 — 29 September, 2019

In 2019 the Festival is opened with the exhibition “Mūžīgā mīlestība” (“Eternal Love”) in Riga Town Hall, and will be continued with the musical concerts, which feature the performance of the Iranian trio “Hamdam” accompanying mystic dancing of the dance virtuoso Alper Akçay (Turkey),  the Sema ceremony performed together with the musicians from Turkey, playing  Mevlevi and Ottoman Empire music, as well as the joint concerts of the Georgian folk group “Chveneburebi” , the dance soloist Givi Kbilashvili and the dancers of the Georgian ballet in Riga and Liepaja.