World Music Days has four bands from around the globe

Akbank Sanat will host World Music Days with the participation of musicians from different countries throughout May. The event will begin with an opening concert by Finnish band Piirpauke on May 7. It will then continue with the extraordinary performances of Chinese musician Guo Gan and Japanese musician Mieko Miyazaki. On May 26, the Pakistani duo of Ashraf Sharif Khan and Shahbaz Hussain will present a unique experience to the audience. Akbank Sanat's World Music Days will end with a concert by Diabel Cissokho, a rising star in the West African scene, on April 28. Piirpauke

Akbank Sanat World Music Days kicks off with Finnish band Piirpauke, which blends different genres such as Turkish music with '70s rock and jazz. Known for their compositions inspired by Balkan, Turkish and West African folk music, the band won recognition with their covers of Turkish songs such as "Çökertme." The band features saxophonist and pianist Sakari Kukko, percussionist Ismaila Sane, guitarist Nicolas Rehn, bassist Eerik Siikasaari and drummer Rami Eskelinen. Piirpauke will present an unforgettable and delightful show on May 7.

Guo Gan and Mieko Miyazaki



Chinese erhu master Guo Gan and Japanese koto performer Mieko Miyazaki will perform together on May 12. Having been trained in different musical traditions, Gan and Miyazaki came together in France. They decided to combine the traditional sounds of Japan and China with the koto, a beautifully shaped national stringed instrument of Japan, which is from the East Asian zither family, and the erhu, a popular two-stringed Chinese instrument. The two Far Eastern musicians do not just play traditional music, but also classical pieces by well-known composers. Miyazaki released an album interpreting Bach on the koto, while France-based Gan is involved in different areas of music such as jazz, opera and ballet. The duo's performance will be authentic, moving and expressive. The extraordinary concert promises modern and traditional melodies of world music.

Ashraf Sharif Khan and Shahbaz Hussain

Giving his first concert at the age of 11, Pakistani sitar player Ashraf Sharif Khan performs an astonishing style of music harmonized with technical proficiency. In 1992 he was chosen to represent Pakistan at the International Sound Celebration Festival in Kentucky. "In the music of South Asia, each piece [raga] embodies a particular mood, season or time of day. In every performance I try to use the music and the instrument to capture the feeling in my heart and to convey this to my audience," he said in an earlier statement, reported by Akbank Sanat. Shahbaz Hussain is a talented tabla player whose solo performances have gained critical acclaim all over the world. The duo will be on stage on May 26.

Diabel Cissokho



A rising star of West Africa, Senegalese musician Diabel Cissokho, will give the final concert on May 28. Cissokho is applauded by music critics in different genres, including African music, jazz and Afrobeat, thanks to his virtuoso talents as well as his impressive and sensitive performances. During the concert he will perform songs from his debut album "Kanabory Siyama," recorded in 2012, featuring elements of West African Mandinka music, Afrobeat and blues.