ISTANBUL
CITY AND MUSIC

Geographic and cultural gate between Asia and Europe, emblematic city and scenario of pivotal moments in the history of Europe and the Middle East, Istanbul has been named European Capital of Culture 2010. For a year, until early 2011, there have been in all kinds of spaces in the city many cultural events that have seen artists coming from all around the world and working closely with the local artists and the public. In this setting the music has played a key role, being one of the arts that probably best represented the fusion of Eastern and Western traditions in this city. In the concerts that have been held this year, have met in Istanbul not only rhythms of different latitudes and times, but also sounds and techniques normally not associated with the world of music. This variety and vitality as well have enriched the life of a city that already has an extremely wide musical production. In these interviews Deniz Yavuz, Mehmet Guntekin and Emre Gözgü, representatives of the Istanbul European Capital of Culture 2010 team, explain the reasons why Istanbul has been chosen, as well as the objectives and the major success of the festival program. Antonio Gil de Carrasco, director of the Cervantes Institute in Istanbul, talks about Spain's participation at this year's music program with the staging of La Gran Sultana, a very iconic work by Cervantes for his ties with Istanbul, which have been directed by Josep Maria Pou in its first edition in Turkey. At last Pelin Opcin, director of the Istanbul International Jazz Festival, explains about the festival and more generally about the jazz scene in the city.