The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

I started playing the piano at the age of 3, and my life was spent in a musical family, from grandfather to me, surrounded by music and art. I don’t remember, but my mother was singing in a choir when she was expecting me, so I probably understood it then. I knew this when I was born, but I couldn’t remember, maybe it could have been in earlier times.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

Mindfulness, communication skill and doing every single moment one hundred percent wholeheartedly. -Mindfulness is a skill that develops while living life, and this is reflected in our music. It brings with it the indescribable enthusiasm of being in the moment and being one with the music and being music. -Communication ability brings with it listening to each other on stage and real communication. -And giving yourself with all your self while doing music brings originality, connection and realism in music.

Two ways you stay motivated:

Feeling connected to self & source and peacefully being alone at home.

Latest Project:

Baturay Yarkın Trio featuring Nağme Yarkın – “Fiery Desert”. We released a maxi single consisting of 3 songs in October 2023. The entire album “Dream Again” will be released in soon. All the works in this album composed by my brother, jazz and tango pianist Baturay Yarkın. We founded this group, including the jazz trio and me, in 2016. We play our own compositions, we blend traditional and folk music from Turkiye with jazz music, and we also have jazz standards in our repertoire. Playing this music with my instrument, the Istanbul kemence, attracts great attention in all the festivals and concerts we have attended so far. We have performed this project, in which we perform Anatolian music and jazz music without spoiling their essence and their principles in many festivals in Europe and the USA.

What inspired it:

Combination of Eastern & Western cultures, originality and individuality. With this project, we would love to blend Eastern and Western music and explain that we can all live in harmony, without discrimination, as a bridge. As people who share our beautiful world, this planet, our dream is to live freely and in peace, despite all our differences and by expanding our colors with these differences. None of us have to look alike or be the same. How nice it is to see something new every day, how nice it is to hear something new every day. With this band, we have a chance to participate in environments where we can share our different cultures eachother, and this really nourishes our music.

Who’s on it:

My brother, Baturay Yarkin, with whom we grew up together in the same house and brought together our instruments based on different roots, is the owner of this project as a pianist, composer and arranger. I take part in kemence of Istanbul, vocal and composer. Yarkın Tuncer is on bass and Mert Can Bilgin is on drums. Ozan Sarıer does the mixing and mastering of our album. Our album is published by Netherlands-based AudioMaze.

How do you discover new music?

I’m curious about what my non-musician friends listen to, and they can give me updates on this subject. We also share music with my musician friends and my students. Also I listen to my favorite radio stations and it helps me to discover new music.

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

Living : Erkan Oğur (Fretless Guitar & Guitar & Vocal & Bağlama performer).

Dead : Tanburi Cemil Bey (Kemenche of Istanbul & Tanbur & Cello performer & composer).

Where can we find you online?

Online platforms where I share the most are Spotify, YouTube and Instagram.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/41goFHVHIkQ22wQrCYUUbr?si=-7qUGM0bQEaLZhu_LYHfyg Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NagmeYarkn/videos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nagmeyarkin/

Upcoming Event you’d like to share?

International Guitar Festival in Ankara / Turkiye – December 2023. Here we will perform with our duo, which we established together with Turkiye’s leading guitarist Erdem Sökmen. Our duo’s album “Duende” will be released on all digital platforms in December 8, 2023.

The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

I think my heart and soul knew from a very young age that I was to be a musician but after a few detours including pre-med, I consciously made the decision to be a creative and a musician when I was 24.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

Business, management and marketing because unless you are lucky to have a team to do this for you, especially in the beginning, chances are you will be the one that also has to plan, promote and sell your music. Talent is only a part of an artist’s life and there are countless hats we have to wear.

Two ways you stay motivated:

I keep surrounding myself with positive, inspiring and devoted people with whom I can share the successes as well as the struggles and be inspired by their discipline and efforts. Having that friend and community support is crucial because, let’s face it, it is a tough industry. Having the confidence that I was given a talent and that I have a very clear purpose to create and perform music that speaks to the heart. When people tell me how they were moved by my music or that it resonated so much or even healed them, it reminds me of how special it is to speak the language of music that can transmit so many emotions to literally EVERYONE on the planet.

Latest Project:

My latest main release is Aspirations on the Audio Network label. This album was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studio 2 as well as School Farm Studios with a 30-piece ensemble and myself as soloist with James Brett conducting. This is my first collaboration with Audio Network and it has been an absolute dream to work with this team!

What inspired it:

Aspirations is Inspired by my journey to LA, taking that leap of faith, and facing some of the toughest yet most inspiring challenges in my life including a near fatal accident in 2021. This album is born out of the love, the support, the story, and the courage to follow my dream.

Who’s on it:

I was lucky to have some of the best session players in the world to record my music. The String ensemble was contracted by Isobel Griffiths Ltd, conducted by James Brett and led by Clio Gould as concertmaster with featured artists: Paul Bateman on piano, Caroline Dale on Cello, Auriel Pawsey on harp and myself as solo violinist.

How do you discover new music?

I like to ask what my friends are listening, I look at what the music platforms suggest, I go to concerts and shows and just keep being curious about what is coming out and be open to discover new styles and artists.

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

1. Danaë Xanthe Vlasse, a half-French, half-Greek composer living in Los Angeles since 2005. Her music encompasses art song, chamber music, works for solo piano and choral pieces and is associated to 11 albums.
2. Lili Boulanger, a prodigy composer and musician and the first woman to be awarded the Grand Prix de Rome for her composition. She unfortunaly passed away very young at 24.

Where can we find you online?

You can find me on pretty much all socials IG: @nathalieboninmusic
TikTok: @nathalieboninmusic
Facebook: @nathaliebonin.violin
X (Twitter): @NBonin
You can listen to my music on all major music platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, Tidal, Deezer etc..

Upcoming Event you’d like to share?

I have a few exciting Private events performing at the Biltmore in December and looking to have more performances of my music in 2024… some exciting projects in the pipes but too early to share details.

–> https://www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/honey-cadence-aaron-larget-caplan/

TY American Composers Alliance for a beautiful publication!

The moment when you knew you wanted to be a musician:

When I was a very young child, I used to walk around my house humming the soundtracks from Disney’s Fantasia and from Steven Spielberg’s film, ET. I was fully enamored with the music–the way it captured my imagination. Sometimes I would also hum my own melodies. Music has always been the voice that I hear in my head when things are quiet, so following the path of a musician and composer has always been an important part of my destiny.

An important skill for a career in music that does not have anything to do with an instrument or making music:

Self-care–both mental and physical.

Two ways you stay motivated:

(1) by learning new skills often; (2) by switching up the workload and required skillsets whenever possible.

Latest Project:

Earlier this year I released Singularity, a 15-minute work I produced with the Czech national Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) and Northern Film Orchestra String Quartet. I recorded a second piece this year with CNSO string orchestra, which is currently in post-production. It is tentatively called Metamorphosis. Also, I recorded a short guitar duo before Singularity, called Trading Places, but haven’t quite figured where it will go.

What inspired it:

I composed most of Metamorphosis in early 2022, around the time that I began working on Singularity. The inspiration behind both works was exploring my inner voice, composing and producing and releasing new works, simply for the sake of creating art. I had undergone some major life changes, and had completed working for five seasons on an animated franchise for a major studio. In the aftermath of the pandemic, I needed to go inward, untethered to any outside media projects, as a means of processing my experiences.

Who’s on it:

On Metamorphosis I am featured as the primary artist, performing keys, electronics, drums. Vladimir Martinka returns to conduct the Czech National Symphony Orchestra strings section. Plus, I may feature a guest artist or two; I am still exploring things a bit in post for this one, which is unusual for me.

How do you discover new music?

Mostly through algorithmic playlists on Pandora.

One living and one dead musician that deserves more attention:

All musicians, dead and living, deserve more attention and respect in our society–especially here in the United States. It starts with awareness and education. The power of the arts to create transformative shifts in our culture needs to be embraced and more fully utilized.

Where can we find you online?

On Instagram or Facebook: @shaundrewmusic

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/shaun-drew/253900275
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5pBudYX5FrBNLDd0cuKTZZ

Website

Youtube Video Playlist: