Nilüfer Municipality launches gastro-ethnomusicology lecture series

The Nilüfer Municipality has commenced a new season of its ‘Gastroetnomusicological Conversations’ lecture series. Curated and presented by Prof. Dr. Özlem Doğuş Varlı, the series aims to revitalize cultural memory by intersecting gastronomy with ethnomusicology.

The season opened at Pancar Deposu with the theme ‘The Records Spin, The Fork Clinks: Tables and Sounds of the Republic.’ The event explored the social transformations during the Turkish Republic era, noting how dining culture transitioned from being limited to the Ottoman palace circles to becoming accessible to the general public.

Guest speakers included researcher and shellac record collector Cemal Ünlü, who described Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s dinner tables as modest and budget-friendly, often accompanied by musical performances such as the ‘mahur faslı.’ Cellist İdil Onaran Sulaoğlu discussed music as a component of the Republic’s modernization project, highlighting how the ‘Turkish Five’ composers received state support for international education. The event concluded with a musical performance and a menu featuring traditional items such as tarhana soup and grape compote.