Turkey’s child prodigy stuns with musical maturity

By Fatih Hepokur

ANTALYA, Turkey (AA) – When his father was struggling to play cura – a stringed musical instrument – baby fingers of four-year-old Eren Yavuz, were striking notes like an adept musician.

Living in Antalya province of Turkey, now 10-year old Eren, plays 10 different musical instruments, displaying musical maturity, flawless technique and beautiful tones.

His parents say that they had realized his talent, when his baby fingers would bring musical notes out of cura strings, without any education.

“The teachers coming to teach us playing cura were amazed. They in fact, discovered his aptitude. While we were training ourselves, he was already breaking musical notes to our amazement,” said Eren’s father Mehmet Yavuz.

At the age of six, he started taking courses to play 10 different instruments.

“I am too young. I am thinking of getting good education. I do not know what happens in future, but I will be always with the music,” said Eren, currently a sixth grade, school student.

It is amazing to see him play almost every note with musical instruments like, oud, cumbus (mandolin with a metal body), sazbus (mandolin with saz handle), long handle baglama, short handle baglama, violin, violin bow, guitar, rhythm instrument and cura.

Talking to Anadolu Agency, Eren credited his parents for encouraging him, to formally take instrument courses.

“It was told that I could not take courses, because I did not know how to read and write. After I learned reading and writing at an infant school, then I was admitted to undertake instrument courses,” said the child musician.

His father said the child prodigy is now planning to learn playing piano and qanoon. The sixth grade student said that he never gets tired of music and the first thing, he picks up at home, after returning from school, is a musical instrument.

“I play instruments till I sleep. I want to be a good musician, “said Eren.

His farther Yavuz, said he will always support the child to realize his dreams. Yavuz, who works as a technical manager in a hotel, said that Eren had shown interest with musical instruments, even when he was an infant.

"Eren grew up in the music" said his mother Serap Yavuz.

“I love music, so also my husband. We are very happy and proud about our son's talent. Music gives our family peace of mind," she added.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin