Dear Friends of the Society for Turkish Classical Music,   

The countdown to the new year is upon us! With only 4 days left of 2023, we are taking time to reflect on the ways we engaged with our community. This year, we had the pleasure of holding our first in-person 4 state tour since 2019 with a formal invitation to Timuçin Çevikoğlu to join us in this journey! This tour took us from Connecticut to Berkeley, to Portland, and finally to Seattle. The response was tremendous and heartfelt.   

The Society for Turkish Classical Music (STCM) organized and promoted a number of events, also working in collaboration with the Mevlevi Order of America, Art Max Academy, and the Anatolian Arts Institute. Other highlights of 2023 include our free Community Drumming Class in Portland, our continued offering of online classes on Makam, the Mevlevi Ayins, and the ilahis via Zoom, a service provided through the entire 3 years of the pandemic. Performances of the music at various concert venues were also shared in multiple cities, and lectures given on different aspects of the music and the tradition it emerged from.  

We are engaged in supporting the ongoing documentation, translation, and preservation of this beautiful musical tradition that is truly one of the great cultural heritages of the world. Students from around the globe are now able to study through the programs we offer, and we hope to continue with this important work. We are proud of all that has been accomplished with the support of the music appreciators we have served in 2023 and look forward to connecting with you all in 2024!  

We hope in the coming year to expand our outreach efforts to reach new students and audiences and to develop programming directed toward children as well, recognizing the need to identify and support the ones who will carry this tradition into the future. We are passionate about bridging cultural differences through music and the arts, but we can only continue these efforts through the generous backing of supporters like you. The Society for Turkish Classical Music is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.

If you’ve been waiting to contribute to the growth and reach of STCM, now is the best time to submit a one-time or recurring tax-deductible donation through our website at Our PayPal Account or via check by mail: (38 Marsh Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850.) Remember that no amount is too big or too small and all donations are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated.    Our goal in 2023 is to raise $12,000 to secure our 2024 basic operation expenses and add to our scholarship funds. Help us to reach our goal by donating, you can also help by sharing this information with those who may be interested, and able, to offer financial support for our programs, students, and community.  

Thank you again for being a part of our journey and our dreams for the future. We look forward to serving you for many years to come!  

Sincerely,  

The STCM Board