The legendary figure of Turkish Folk Music, minstrel Neşet Ertaş was commemorated with a special concert hosted by Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) on the 13th anniversary of his passing.
The “Bozkırın Tezenesi Neşet Ertaş Commemoration Concert”, which was planned to be held on September 27 on the occasion of the day Neşet ertaş departed to the eternal realm, awas held on Sunday evening, October 19, 2025, due to the tragic accident at the Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise Karadon Facility on September 25, 2025, in which a mine worker lost his life on duty.
Zonguldak Chief Public Prosecutor Gökhan Kapağan and his wife Buket Kapağan, BEUN Rector İsmail Hakkı Özölçer and his wife Seran Özölçer, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Servet Karasu, Secretary General Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz, local dignitaries, senate members, political party representatives, academic and administrative staff, nursing home residents, students and a large number of art lovers attended the concert organized at the Farabi Campus, Sezai Karakoç Cultural Center.
At the concert, the Ankara State Turkish Folk Music Choir under the General Directorate of Fine Arts of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, with vocal artists Nilgün Kızılcı and Sıtkı Akın, performed the unforgettable folk songs of the master artist, giving the audience emotional moments. With works such as “Yolcu”, “Neredesin Sen”, “Gönül Dağı”, “Bahça Duvarından Aştım”, “Kaşların Kara Kara”, “Zahidem” and “Yazımı Kışa Çevirdim”, the voice of Anatolia resonated in the hall.
Rector Özölçer: “Neşet Ertaş Continues to be the Strong Voice of Anatolia with His Compositions”
BEUN Rector, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer commented following the concert and commemorating the great master stated that:
“We commemorate the Bozkırın Tezenesi Neşet Ertaş with mercy on the 13th anniversary anniversary of his passing. His folk songs are not just melodies, but the voice of Anatolia, memory of our people, interpretor of our hearts. It is our responsibility for us to commemorate this master and to convey the cultural richness of our ancient tradition to the world.
I sincerely thank all art lovers who attended such a meaningful event, as well as the valuable Ministry of Culture and Tourism family, especially our Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, the Ankara State Folk Music Choıir, our esteemed artists here and everyone who contributed to this night.
Rector Prof. Dr. Özölçer also drew attention to the fact that Neşet Ertaş’s wors carried a special meaning ths year due to 2025 being declared the “Year of Family” by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, expressing the following:
“The folk songs of Neşet Ertaş, who touched the hearts with his saz and was a brave child of Anatolia, spark of love, sorrow, and longing, but above all, they convey the importance of family, togetherness, parental love, and the grace of being a human. On the occasion of 2025 being declared “The year of family” by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we took great pride in commemorationg Neşet Ertaş, opne of the strongest representatives of “abdallık” tradition and recognized by UNESCO as a ‘living human treasure’ under our university roof together with our valuable Zonguldak residents, nursing home residents, and esteemed units of the Provincial Directorate of family and Social Services. I sincerely thank all our guests who participated in the program. As BEUN, we place great importance on art, culture and the preservations of these values, we are determined dto continue guarding our ancient cultural heritage.”
The concert concluded with the presenttation of certificates of appreciation and flowers, followed by a commemorative photo.
