Korhan Erel

Korhan Erel (1973, Istanbul)[1] is a computer musician, improviser, sound designer based in Berlin.

He plays instruments he designs on a computer by employing various controllers. He also uses analog and digital electronics. He is a founding member of Islak Köpek, Turkey's pioneer free improvisation group, which is regarded as the band that started the free improvisation scene in Turkey. He composes and designs sounds for dance, theater, installations and film. He collaborates with dancers, video artists and spoken word artists.[2]

Early life

Korhan Erel was born on 26 August 1973 to Şaziye Erel and Recep Celil Erel. At the time, Şaziye Erel was working in the Turkish Customs as a clerk, while Recep Celil was working in Anadolu Sigorta. Şaziye Erel's first memory of Korhan's deep interest in sounds was when Korhan as a toddler would make her take him to a bathroom (either their own or their host's bathroom) and there she would have to flush the toilet numerous times while Korhan listened to the flushing of the water and the refilling of the reservoir. If she stopped before Korhan had heard enough, Korhan would cry and she'd have to continue, during a serious financial crisis in mid-70s Turkey where even water was rationed and sparse.

After elementary school, Korhan studied secondary and high school at Robert College, an American-Turkish secondary education institution in Istanbul, from 1985 until 1991. During this period, he had his first computer, a Commodore 64, in the summer of 1985. After a year of only playing computer games, Korhan realized the incredible sounds the computer was able to produce, and started to learn coding. With the Commodore 64, he was not able to go a great distance, but the Commodore Amiga he acquired in 1989 changed things forever with its sample playback capability.[3]

Selected Projects

A Christmas Cage: tribute to John Cage

Korhan Erel and Tanya Kalmanovitch organized a concert in remembrance of John Cage in his 100th birth year in 2012. The tribute concert included performances of pieces from Cage's Songbooks by Tanya Kalmanovitch, Anthony Coleman, Serra Yılmaz, Tolga Tüzün, Ayşenur Kolivar, Gökçe Akçelik, Şevket Akıncı and Korhan Erel on 29 December 2012 at Borusan Music House.[4]

David Rothenberg and Korhan Erel – Berlin Bülbül

David Rothenberg met Erel during his one-year residency in Berlin. Berlin is one of the most important cities in Europe for nightingales, which is one of the key routes of immigration from Africa through Europe in the spring. David Rothenberg and Erel started to improvise with nightingales in Berlin's parks at midnight. The first concert held on 9 May 2014 and this concert's recordings used for the album Berlin Bülbül in 2015. The album launch concerts happened in Borusan Music House (Istanbul) on 3 April 2015[5][6][7] and in Sammlung Hoffman (Berlin) on 10 May 2015.[8]

Since 2014, Rothenberg and Erel are playing with nightingales every May in Berlin.

The Liz

The Liz is a power trio comprising Liz Allbee (amplified trumpet, voice, text, video, stage design), Liz Kosack (synthesizer, voice, masks, puppets) and Korhan Liz Erel (computer, electronics, sound design, voice). The projects is the story of transformations and multiples: a maiden Sphinx, Anubis the dog of death, and Oedipus, as narrated by Kathy Acker. Drawing from traditional Greek myth, as well as Jean Cocteau's 'Infernal Machine' and Acker's 'Blood and Guts in High School', The Liz translates the riddles of the Sphinx into an engine for the musical re-production of resistance, and of subliminal and mythic resonance.

The Liz premiered "Book of Birds" at Quiet Cue on 30 April 2016.[9] It is also performed at Moers Festival[10] in 2016 summer and broadcast live via Arte television channel online.[11]

Albums
YearTitleMusiciansLabel
Physical Releases
2018leben nebelUdo Schindler, Korhan ErelCreative Sources
2018SoundEnergyTransformationUdo Schindler, Sebi Tramontana, Korhan ErelFMR Records
2017Humanoise TuttiKorhan Erel, Elena Margarita Kakaliagou, Jonas Kocher, Hannah Marshall, Dirk Marwedel, Theo Nabicht, Ulrich Phillipp, Ernesto Rodrigues, Wolfgang Schliemann, Nicolas SouchalCreative Sources
2015Berlin BülbülDavid Rothenberg, Korhan ErelGruenrekorder
2014Live at Zaal100W. Wierbos, W. de Joode, Ş. Akıncı, G. Gürkal, K. ErelMüzik Hayvanı
2014Bad Falling BostelGunnar Lettow & Korhan ErelCreative Sources
2012Three States of FreedomTom Soloveitzik, Kevin Davis, Korhan ErelCreative Sources
2011Istanbul Improv Sessions 4 MayMark Lotz & Islak KöpekEvil Rabbit Records
2011LiveNikos Kyriazopoulos & Korhan ErelKukuruku Records
2008Islak KöpekIslak KöpekA.K. Müzik
Digital Releases
2016Animal Music: Live at Jää-äärElliott Sharp, David Rothenberg, Lasse-Marc Riek, Korhan Ereltokafi
2014Live at Gitar CafeCanned Fit, Yannis Saxonis, Korhan ErelGronde Murmure
2012Superimposed CircumstancesKorhan Erel & Tolga TüzünAnother World
2011Public ComputingKorhan ErelElectronic Muzik
2009One year later, two years ago (double album)Islak KöpekBandcamp
2006Con-structuresKorhan ErelBandcamp
Compilations
2010Aleksey Borisov / Olga Nosova – Istanbul 2010: World CupVA
2016An Anthology of Turkish Experimental Music 1961–2014VASub Rosa

References
  1. http://www.turkishculture.org/whoiswho/korhan-erel-2916.htm
  2. https://www.discogs.com/artist/642922-Korhan-Erel
  3. Marx, Julia. "Music without Norms – Visiting Korhan Erel". Renk. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
  4. İnceoğlu, Deniz (29 December 2012). "John Cage anısına". Hürriyet. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  5. "David Rothenberg & Korhan Erel – 'Berlin Bülbül'". 23 March 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  6. Yılmaz, Tuğçe (3 May 2015). "DAVID ROTHENBERG & KORHAN EREL "BERLİN BÜLBÜL"".
  7. SanatOnline (27 February 2015). "David Rothenberg & Korhan Erel – "Berlin Bülbül"". Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  8. "Gruen Rekorder News".
  9. Quiet Cue: The Liz "Book of Birds" World Premiere, April 30, 2016
  10. "Moers Festival Archiv". Archived from the original on 8 March 2016.
  11. "The Liz 'Book of Birds'". 16 May 2016.
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