(1938-2000)

Born in 1938 in Istanbul, Cinuçen Tanrıkorur attended the Italian High School, and then went on to graduate from the Architecture Department of the State Academy of Fine Arts. He began learning music at the age of three, teaching himself notation, makams and usûls. He began composition at the age of 14, began the study of the oud at 18, and at 22, passed the auditions to become a performer at Istanbul Radio. While working at the Ministry of Zoning and Housing as an Urban Architect, he was appointed Director of the Art Music Branch oat Ankara Radio in 1973. In 1982, he left his post as Vice President of the TRT Music Department to serve on the Teaching Faculty at Selçuk University in Konya, where he founded the Musical Education Department. In 1989 he was appointed as a Solo Artist at the Ministry of Culture Istanbul State Turkish Music Ensemble. The following ten years were his most productive period in terms of compositions and concerts; during this time he composed nearly 300 pieces. He passed away on June 28, 2000.

Tanrıkorur wrote the first ever western style method for oud. With a knowledge of five foreign languages, Tanrıkorur read many papers and took part in many conferences both at home and abroad. In addition to the makams Şedd-i Sabâ, Gülbûse and Zâvil-aşîrân, which he developed himself, Tanrıkorur wrote classical pieces in existing makams such as Çargâh, Şehnaz, Nişaburek and Neveser Kürdili Hicazkâr, Mevlevi Âyins in Bayâti-Araban, Evcara, Zâvil-aşîrân and Nişaburek, as well as a variety of piece is usûls and forms of his own invention. In total he composed 505 pieces.

Books:

Biraz da Müzik, Zaman Kitap, 2001

Saz ü Söz Arasında- Cinuçen Tanrıkorur’un Hatıraları, Dergah Yayınları, 2003

Müzik, Kültür, Dil, Dergah Yayınları, 2003

Türk Müzik Kimliği, Dergah Yayınları, 2004