Hello, my name is Muhammet Şükrü Çakmaktaş.

I was born in 1991 in Beyoğlu, Istanbul. I encountered the living tradition of Classical Turkish Music at an early age, and over time my relationship with the tanbur evolved beyond performance into a way of thinking — an aesthetic language and a cultural responsibility.

For more than a decade, I have been performing actively as a tanbur artist. I completed my academic training in Music Theory at the Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State Conservatory. My background in makam theory, modal analysis, and solfège has allowed me to approach performance not only technically, but intellectually. I have always chosen to engage with music both from the stage and from the text — balancing interpretation with theoretical awareness.I

have performed in numerous Mevlevi ceremonies, particularly at the Galata Mevlevihanesi, taking part as both Tanbur player and Ayinhan. Performing Mevlevi rituals in makams such as Bestenigar, Nikriz, Bayati, Hicaz, and Acemaşiran deepened my understanding of large-form structures and rhythmic cycles (usul). Through this tradition, I came to understand that the tanbur is not merely an accompanying instrument, but a sonic extension of spiritual contemplation.

My concert experience includes performances at the CRR Concert Hall, Atatürk Cultural Center, and events organized by the Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music State Conservatory. I have also collaborated with composer and conductor Hakan Ali Toker in symphonic projects that bridge Turkish and Western musical traditions. In addition, I appeared as a guest artist on TRT Nağme at TRT Istanbul Radio.

Teaching is an essential dimension of my musical life. I currently teach music theory and performance at Istanbul University Itri Fine Arts High School and Mim Art Academy. In my pedagogy, I focus not only on repertoire, but on the internal architecture of makams, the mathematical precision of rhythmic cycles, and the historical memory embedded within sound itself.

For me, the tanbur is not simply strings and plectrum. Each makam carries the psychology of a geography; each modulation reflects a mode of thought. Clarity of intonation, controlled plectrum technique, and structural fidelity are fundamental principles in my performance practice. While remaining rooted in tradition, I also value presenting this sound within contemporary production standards and high-quality recording environments.

In my recording sessions for Abbara, each phrase is approached not merely as a “sample,” but as a disciplined reflection of performance heritage. The aim is to provide producers not just with sound files, but with tones shaped by authentic makam consciousness.

I see music as a bridge between past and future — and the tanbur as one of its most delicate, resonant strings.