Under the leadership of MUZED (Music Trainers Association), in association with TÜRKSOY (International Turkish Culture Organization) and TÜRKMEB (Turkish World Music Education Society) and through the support of ISME (International Society for Music Education), the 3rd International Silk Road Conference aims to carry out a project that had been never thought before under the auspices of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Faculty of Education.
The International Children’s Songs Composing Competition taking place under the theme of “Cyprus and Nature of Cyprus” will be the most meaningful and permanent activity of the conference. Designed by Conference Co-Chair Prof. Dr. Uğur Alpagut and Competition General Coordinator Assist. Prof. Dr. Yavuz Durak with the idea of non=existence of the children’s songs portraying Cyprus, the competition invited applications between 1 February and 3 March 2017 and a total of 24 songs were nominated.
The composers sent their songs through a link connected to the website in a note writing software format. The 10 songs that will compete in the finals out of 24 were elected in line with the ‘children’s songs composition criteria’. The rehearsals began after the pieces had been sent to DAÜ SEM Ada Işığı Children’s Choir Conductor Erkan Dağlı. As of 6 March 2017, the pieces were rehearsed with piano and the songs qualifying for the top three will be determined through the same method.
Through this way, the 10 chosen pieces will portray the natural and historical characteristics of Cyprus and will add a great value introduced to children’s songs repertoire that promotes the country. The songs that earned the top three position will be receive awards. In this respect, 3,000 TL will be awarded to the composer of the song that took first place, 2,000 TL for the second and 1,000 TL for the third. The awards will be presented to the composers of the winning pieces on stage by Famagusta Mayor İsmail Arter. On the other hand, the 10 songs which made it to the finals will be performed with piano and recorded professionally. Also, the pieces will be recorded on CD and formed in a book format to be presented as an output of the conference. The competition will take place at Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Center on 17 July 2017 at 5:30 p.m. and the entrance is open to public, free of charge. The competition is planned be organized annually under the auspices of EMU during the upcoming years.
