Cengiz Onarici

Instrument: Qanun 

Home town: Konya, Turkey

Cengiz was born into a family of musicians in Konya, where Sufi mystical poet Rumi lived his late life. He was introduced to music at a very young age through percussion

and Sufi songs played with his family and friends.

When he was in elementary school, he received low grades in his Turkish class, which affected him negatively. Music has always helped him overcome such obstacles, like a connection with a cosmic truth. He pursued his passion for music by attending Konya. Cement Fine Arts High School. He started studying the qanun, which with its three-and-a-half octave range, allows one to play both Turkish and global music. Later on, he entered the music theory department of the Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State Conservatory, ranking second. He has represented the Republic of Turkey in various music events in Germany, Sweden, England, China, and Morocco.

He believes that the Arif Mardin 5-Week Music Fellowship will help him preserve and share the great qanun.