Kemal Dinç

Kemal Dinç, born in 1970 in Istanbul and originally from a family with roots in Giresun, is a Turkish folk musician and dedicated music educator. After moving to Germany in 1980 with his family, he started playing the bağlama at around age 11 or 12 and later learned classical guitar. Kemal pursued formal music education at Sulzbach Rosenberg Music Vocational High School and completed a master's degree in classical music at the Felix Mendelssohn Music-Theater University in Leipzig in 1997. Known for his distinctive playing style on the bağlama, which features a crossed tuning arrangement and often eschews the plectrum in favor of techniques resembling tambur playing, he has released several albums including his debut *Lir ve Ateş* in 2006. Beyond performing, Kemal Dinç has contributed significantly to music education, teaching at Codarts in Rotterdam and the University of Cologne, and has been involved in projects promoting traditional Turkish music and bağlama orchestras.

His discography highlights a deep engagement with traditional and contemporary interpretations of Turkish folk music, with releases like *Bağlama İçin Denemeler*, *Geleneksel Yorumlar*, *Duo* (a collaboration with Ahmet Aslan), and live concert recordings. He also combines performance with music direction and development of educational programs, helping to nurture the next generation of musicians in the makam tradition and bağlama performance. Kemal Dinç’s work bridges cultural traditions and modern classical music education, making him a notable figure in both Turkish folk music and world music spheres internationally.

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