To mark March 21 World Down's Syndrome Day, the Bremen Mızıkacıları Perküsyon Grubu (Town Musicians of Bremen Percussion Group), featuring young musicians with mental disabilities, will take to the stage at the Zorlu Performing Arts Center on Sunday. Eighteen students, either with Down's Syndrome, Autism or mental disabilities, have formed a musical group to raise awareness for Down's Syndrome at the Özel Yeni Tomurcuk Special Education and Rehabilitation Center. They want to emphasize that this condition is not an illness, but a chromosomal condition. The percussion ensemble has been created with the Tomurcuk Education, Culture, Solidarity and Business Cooperative, established by a group of mothers whose children suffer from mental disabilities. The cooperative was founded in 2006 and is currently located in Istanbul's Maltepe district. The young musicians have performed over 220 concerts around Turkey, under the supervision of volunteer percussion trainer Yaşar Morpinar since 2007. They have performed at international and national symposiums and festivals, such as the International Symposium of Adapted Physical Activity, the World Water Forum and the Antalya International Film Festival. The group also appeared at Eskişehir Anadolu University, Ağrı University, Karabük University, Acıbadem University, Doğuş University, the Middle East Technical University and Yeditepe University. As a first in the world, the Istanbul-based Doğuş University offers a compulsory non-credit course called "Town Musicians of Bremen Percussion Group Rhythm Workshop." Students and group members perform together during the courses.
