Following his experience at OneBeat 2014, Kurdish vocalist Fidel Kilic had the idea of creating a OneBeat-inspired program that would bring together musicians from a diversity of ethnic backgrounds in Turkey to create new tunes, perform, and share strategies for engaging young people and disadvantaged communities through music. His idea coincided with the launch of OneBeat Abroad, a smaller version of OneBeat that will take place in a different country each year, led by alumni. From this synergy came OneBeat Istanbul. After a year of hard work and intensive planning with the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul, Istanbul-based partners and musicians, and the OneBeat team, Fidel succeeded in bringing together 10 musicians (8 based in Turkey, and 2 American OneBeat alumni, Pat Swoboda and Eva Salina) for ten days for OneBeat Istanbul, from April 20 – May 1, 2016. OneBeat Istanbul fellows created and recorded new music, led educational workshops with young people, and held a stirring final performance for a transfixed audience at the Energy Museum at Bilgi University. Fellows are now following Fidel’s lead by planning and carrying out their own projects using music to increase understanding and awareness, build resilient communities, and make the world a more tolerant place. See photos and more info on OneBeat Istanbul 2016 here: https://1beat.org/projects/onebeat-istanbul/
