Urladam Nostalgia Choir: a moving blast from the past through a long term workshop whose participants are accepted without a need of any prerequisite or background. Teyfik Rodos will teach them about the sounds, notes and music and will create a powerful choir (keep in mind it is the very first time of this kind of choir in Urladam archives). At the end of this unique and striking experience, the brave ones who are willing to participate in his concerts, will be on stage as a real choir!
Dear Readers, are you prepared to join us in song?
Well, let’s go! Finally, the nostalgic choral workshops, led by Teyfik Rodos, have recently commenced at Urladam. This surprising initiative invites the enthusiastic attendees to alleviate the stresses of modern life through the magical medium of music. Under the very expert guidance of master Teyfik Rodos, the chorists gather to perform a curated selection of timeless familiar compositions.
Held every Tuesday evening over a 16-week duration, the program aims to develop a comprehensive repertoire while fostering the profound sense of well-being that vocal performances provide. Mr.Rodos and Urladam joyfully welcome all individuals—regardless of prior experience—who wish to refine their vocal techniques, overcome performance anxiety, and engage with their artistic potential in a professional stage environment. Besides, the courageous participants in the workshop will have the optional opportunity to perform on stage during the Maestro’s concerts.
Here are the key details:
-commencement: February 24, 2026
-schedule: every Tuesday for 16 weeks, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
-venue: M. Erksan Hall (Urladam)
In short, as we explained before, beyond his traditional concerts Mr. Rodos proudly carries on with the Urladam Nostalgia Choir (Nostalji Korosu). In these interactive sessions, he acts as a director and mentor, teaching participants singing techniques and stage presence while leading them in collective performances of nostalgic hits. Therefore, the work is mainly centered around reviving the ‘golden era’ of Turkish music, with a touching repertoire concentrating on the ’45’lik’ (45 rpm record) classics. Specifically, I mean 70s, 80s, and 90s and the iconic hits that defined these decades in Turkey: a series of evergreen songs designed to evoke a sense of ‘nostalgia’ and collective memory. As a result, the choir (you don’t need to be a professional singer to join it!) is shaped as a social and cultural project where the primary goal is to enjoy singing these classic melodies together in a communal setting.
📣 THE CHOIR MANIFESTO📣
Here’s to you the Nostalgia Choir MANIFESTO (you can also find it on master Teyfik Rodos’s Instagram profile):
Free your soul, not just your voice.
Do you miss hearing your voice in the rhythm of life? If singing in the shower, the car, or the kitchen isn’t enough, it’s time to turn that energy into a giant leap. No need to read music: just bring your passion for singing. A fresh environment: meet people who love music as much as you do. Leave the stress behind Shake off the week’s tension through the power of music! Be the change: leave the week’s stress behind with every note. Come, let’s tell a grand story in a single breath! The Urladam Choir Workshop is starting.
Stepping into the Kitchen of Music: the Urladam Choir Workshop. Do you want to learn how to use your voice correctly, sing together, and gain experience on stage? We combine technique, aesthetics, and fun in our Urladam choral workshop.
Workshop Highlights:
Correct Technique (breath control and vocal posture), Vocal Development (improving your range and tone), Performance Skills: building confidence for the stage, correct breathing and diaphragm techniques, vocal tone and resonance training, harmonizing and ensemble integration, a curated repertoire of Turkish and world music. This choir never says “hush!”
Don’t say “I have a bad voice”—we believe every voice has its own color. Just bring your voice and come as you are; we’ll take care of the rest!
That being said, in the next paragraphs, we’ll be discovering together the historical and social meaning of ‘hüzün’ and nostalgic music, Teyfik Rodos’s previous performances at Urladam in 2024 in tribute to singer Tanju Okan, Teyfik Rodos’s biography, and lastly the rock-solid link between Teyfik Rodos-Tanju Okan-Urla. Thanks to this detailed exploration, we’ll be able to understand and deepen the framework in which the Nostalgia Choir’s activity originates and develops.
🎹 WHAT ABOUT THE ‘NOSTALGIA CHOIR’? 🎹
The name reflects the group’s focus on singing ‘evergreen’ hits and classic Turkish pop from past decades to evoke a sense of
sentimental longing for that period.
In effect, Nostalgia concentrates on the ‘Golden Age’ of Turkish Pop, specifically the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s as I wrote in the preceding lines. You know, in Turkey, this time is often referred to as the ’45’lik’ period (named after the beloved 45-rpm vinyl records). Here’s to you a quick breakdown of what that musical era sounds like:
🥁 the 1970s (The ‘Aranjman’ Era) featuring Turkish covers of European hits (French, Italian, and Greek), obviously with Turkish lyrics, along with the rise of Anatolian Rock. We’re talking about legends like Ajda Pekkan or Tanju Okan (who lived in Urla and loved it so much!)
🥁 the 1980s (Arabesque-Pop & Melancholy): a mix of upbeat synth-pop and more emotional, dramatic ballads. That style belongs to the awesome style of the Eurovision craze in Turkey and the emergent ‘modern’ Turkish pop stars.
📢 the 1990s (The Pop Boom), the peak of Turkish Pop, marked by high-energy dance tracks and romantic ballads from the ’90lar’ generation (artists like Sezen Aksu, Tarkan, and Sertab Erener).
And since the Maestro Teyfik Rodos is an opera-trained bass-baritone, the choir often tackles these songs with a rich, polyphonic arrangement, making the ‘oldies’ feel grand and cinematic. Thus, the choir’s repertoire and Teyfik Rodos’s ’45’lik’ (45 rpm) projects at Urladam definitely center on soulful, sing-along classics. Today, this kind of music is a ‘nostalgic commodity’ in Turkey’s entertainment industry, frequently revived through tribute concerts, vinyl reissues, and specialized radio stations.
📻 WHAT DOES ‘NOSTALGIC MUSIC’ REPRESENT? 📻
In the Turkish context, the nostalgic music vividly recalls the good old days and their hopeful harmony, by evoking an age that has unfortunately vanished. So in this sense, the ‘lost social harmony’ especially refers to a specific collective yearning for a past time (from the 1960s to the late 1980), the ‘Golden Age’ of mutual respect and simplicity. Therefore, according to this meaning, nostalgic music acts as a time capsule for these particular social sentiments, while the ‘Mahalle'(Neighborhood) Spirit is the emotional beating heart of the sentiment. In other words, older songs evoke the era of the mahalle, where neighbors were like family, doors were left unlocked, and there was a shared sense of morality and solidarity regardless of wealth. Furthermore, much of this nostalgia is tied to the soundtracks of ‘Yeşilçam’ (the Turkish Hollywood), whose songs represent a world where ‘the good guys always win’, and social conflicts were resolved through kindness and community rather than money or power.
Essentially, when people listen to these songs, they aren’t just missing the melodies; on the contrary, they are mourning a perceived social peace and a sense of ‘belonging’ that feels fractured today.
📢 TEYFİK RODOS AND HIS PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES IN URLADAM 📢
First and foremost, we must admit that master Rodos is not a stranger in Urladam; on the contrary, he has already been there and masterfully brought to life a vibrant atmospheric staging: at venues like Urladam, the Maestro’s shows (such as those at the Ağaçlı Sahne at whom you can take a peep in the following videos) do emphasize a ‘nostalgic atmosphere’, blending the natural outdoor setting with music designed to echoe a collective memory and share their cultural history! So let’s take a look at what happened during Mr.Teyfik’s past concert at Urladam!
As you can observe in the brilliant videos here above, master Rodos presented the project ‘Tanju Okan Şarkıları'(Songs of Tanju Okan) in Urladam a couple of years ago, accompanied by the super talented Kaya Demircan Orchestra. Their repertoire for this tribute and the related ‘Üç Büyükler'(The Three Giants) project typically include the following iconic songs:
-‘Tamirci Çırağı’ by Cem Karaca– supposed to be one of Mr.Teyfik’s favourite and most meaningful pieces to sing
-‘Hasret’ by Tanju Okan – one of the core tracks Mr.Rodos regularly interprets in his tributes
-‘Kadınım’ by Tanju Okan, frequently featured during evenings dedicated to his memory
-‘Öyle Sarhoş Olsam Ki’ by Tanju Okan, a classic staple in shows exalting Okan’s legacy
However, as we can learn through the videos, Mr.Rodos’s shows in Urladam, at the quaint Ağaçlı Sahne (the Stage of Trees), are known everywhere for a moving nostalgic atmosphere that merges his operatic technique with modern arrangements by Kaya Demircan, while preserving the original soul of the music.
Wait a minute, please! Who is Kaya Demircan? Let’s introduce him at once: in the context of Teyfik’s evenings, master Kaya Demircan is the musical director and inevitably the leader of the ‘Kaya Demircan’ Orchestra. While the former provides the operatic vocals, the latter is the architect of the sound.
Here is what defines his role:
–musical modernization, since he is responsible for the arrangements that blend classical orchestral elements with the rhythms of 70s and 80s Turkish Pop. I mean, he takes nostalgic songs—originally recorded with simpler or different instrumentation—and rearranges all of them for a full orchestra to match Mr.Rodos’s bass voice
– a ‘Pop-Opera’ Visionary: Director Demircan specializes in a crossover style. For instance, everybody knows he has worked on arrangements for classical pieces like Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’ alongside contemporary collaborators, showing his range from pure classical to popular music.
And now, please allow us to proudly introduce the Maestro to you!
🎶 TEYFİK RODOS 🎶
Born in Bingöl, in 1983 Teyfik Rodos enrolled in the Vocal Department of the İzmir State Conservatory, where he commenced his vocal and voice training under Prof. Sevda Aydan and Prof. Müfit Bayraşa, alongside stage and acting studies with Necdet Aydın. Following a series of concerts in France with the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra and Choir in 1989, he graduated in 1990 and joined the İzmir State Opera and Ballet that same year. Then, he launched his professional career a year later, in 1991, with his remarkable first major role in ‘Don Pasquale’. In 1993, he performed in Verdi’s ‘Macbeth’ during a tour of the Burgas Opera in Bulgaria and began further vocal studies with the Russian pedagogue Prof. Konstantin Pavlovich Lisovsky.
Some years later, in 2001, supported by a state scholarship, Mr.Rodos relocated to Vienna, where he spent a year refining his stately repertoire and interpretation under the tutelage of the renowned bass Prof. Yevgeny
Nesterenko.
HIS ROLES: since 1990, the artist has played the solo bass roles in numerous operas and oratorios staged by the İzmir State Opera and
Ballet. He has also participated in the Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival with prestigious productions including ‘The Magic Flute’, ‘La Bohème’, ‘Nabucco’, ‘Fidelio’, ‘Don Giovanni’, ‘The Flying Dutchman’, ‘Tosca’, ‘Medea’, and
‘Turandot’. Furthermore, he took part in ‘Idomeneo’, ‘Aşk-I Memnu’, and ‘IV. Murat’ at the International Istanbul Opera Festival, and appeared in some shows of ‘Fidelio’ in both Cyprus and Istanbul.
Also, from 2003 onwards, he majestically had principal bass roles in ‘La Bohème’, ‘Iolanta’, Verdi’s ‘Requiem’, and ‘Medea’ at the Antalya State Opera and Ballet, returning to the Aspendos Festival with ‘La Bohème’ and ‘Medea’. In 2004, he portrayed the role of Dr.Dulcamara in ‘L’elisir d’amore'(The Elixir of Love) by Gaetano Donizetti at the Istanbul State Opera. A year later, in July 2005, Mr. Rodos flew to Europe to join Verdi’s ‘Requiem’ in Marl (Germany), followed by a second performance of the same work later that year at the Ephesus Ancient Theater. In 2006, he performed the world première of Ali Hoca’s oratorio ‘Çanakkale Oratoryosu’, followed by the world première of ‘Aydınlığın Adı
Atatürk'(Atatürk is the name of the Enlightnement) in 2007.
On May 9, 2009, at the İzmir State Opera, the artist featured in the world première of Ruperto Chapí’s ‘La Muerte de Garcilaso’ in the
role of Capitán Lara. In June, he reprised this role for three amazing
venues in Toledo (Spain) and participated in the official DVD recording of the production. In 2010, he performed in the opera ‘Aşk-ı Memnu’ in the Spanish location of Gijón.
So Mr. Teyfik’s international career continued with performances of Ahmet Adnan Saygun’s ‘Yunus Emre’ Oratorio in Osnabrück (Germany, 2011), as well as in Amsterdam, Cairo, and Alexandria (2012), a work for which he also contributed to the CD recording.
Additionally, he held concerts with
various orchestras across Argentina, Brazil, Greece, Romania, Italy, Portugal, Norway, Zambia, South Africa, Spain, and Cyprus.
As a member of the ‘3 Basses’ ensemble, which he co-founded with Ankara State Opera soloist Tuncay Kurtoğlu and Istanbul State
Opera soloist Zafer Erdaş, the Maestro has performed extensively both
domestically and internationally. Still now, he continues to grace stages
throughout Turkey with various innovative projects he has developed and implemented in recent years. Finally, he currently maintains his position as a soloist at the İzmir State Opera and Ballet.
In the context of Teyfik Rodos and his tribute performances, the ‘Three Giants'(Üç Büyükler) refers to a specific project celebrating the most influential legends of Turkish nostalgic age. Depending on the specific concert series, he usually honors these two sets of icons:
1.🔔 the Original ‘Three Greats’ (Pop & Anatolian Rock): this is the most common line-up Rodos performs, focusing on the giants of the 1970s and 80s:
•Tanju Okan, known for his deep, bass voice and emotional chanson style ballads
•Barış Manço, a pioneer of Anatolian Rock and a cultural ambassador famous for merging psychedelic rock with Turkish folk
•Cem Karaca, a legendary rock singer with a powerful operatic range, famous for his politically charged and socially conscious lyrics
2.🔔 ‘The Three Greats 2′(Folk & Protest Music), that is a second version of the original project, exalting the artists who revolutionized Turkish folk and ‘Özgün’ (protest) music:
•Ahmet Kaya, a symbol of social protest music marked by deeply emotional and poetic songs
•Edip Akbayram, a key figure who modernized folk songs with pop and rock arrangements
•Ruhi Su, an opera-trained folk singer and a legendary figure in Turkish traditional and protest music.
The goal of these concerts at venues like Urladam is to use Rodos’s classical operatic training to give these ‘nostalgic’ masterpieces a grand, orchestral feel.
🎤 MR.TEYFİK’S PAST PERFORMANCES AT URLADAM: STRIKING MUSICAL DOCUMENTARIES 🎤
As stated earlier, in his powerful shows held at Urladam, Mr.Teyfik Rodos has energically transformed the whole stage into a sort of magical ‘musical documentary’. Just to clarify: he doesn’t just cover the hits, he truly
weaves a narrative that connects the very glad audience to the man behind the voice.
Well, here are the specific storytelling elements he often makes use of:
🔔 the ‘URLA IDENTITY’: as a matter of fact Mr.Rodos usually shares personal anecdotes about Tanju Okan’s daily life in Urla (his favorite spot at the İskele harbor) and his conversations with local fishermen
🔔 the STORY OF ‘KADINIM’: before singing this masterpiece, Rodos often explains the heartbreaking backstory of the song (originally a French melody), detailing how Okan’s raw delivery turned it into a national anthem for lost love
🔔 the BOHEMIAN PHILOSOPHY: sometimes in his shows, Mr.Teyfik discusses Mr.Okan’s lifestyle—often romanticized as ‘the man with the cigarette and the glass’—not as a simple cliché, but as a symbol of the intellectual and emotional depth of the 1970s Turkish music scene.
🔔 the Transition from OPERA TO POP: the singer shares his own journey as an opera singer, explaining why he feels that Okan’s baritone style is undisputably the perfect bridge between classical training and popular ‘nostalgic’ music.
🔔 the interaction with LOCAL MEMORIES: since many audience spectators in Urla, at Urladam or during other venues in that geographical area are locals who might have actually seen Tanju Okan at a café many years ago, Teyfik Rodos generally invites the crowd to share their own ‘sightings’ or memories, making the show a collective act of remembrance.
That’s great! But, as we have just mentioned Tanju Okan, now we are compelled to draw his relevant portrait…Therefore, before concluding this extensive musical exploration, it is only right to pause for a moment on the mythical figure of Tanju Okan: he was the ultimate ‘man of the rakı table,’ often performing with a glass in hand, turning his concerts into intimate, shared moments of poignant hüzün (melancholy).
🎙TANJU OKAN AND HIS SPECIAL BOND WITH URLA🎙
The Nostalji Korosu (Nostalgia Choir) led by Teyfik Rodos at Urladam is mainly centered around reviving the ‘golden era’ of Turkish music. Since this singer is a renowned interpreter of Tanju Okan’s work, and his
songs—deeply tied to the culture of Urla—are a staple of the program of his activities, you can easily imagine that Okan’s melodies are the backbone of the choir too. By the way, Mr.Rodos is a master interpreter of him, no doubt!
Anyway, Tanju Okan (1938–1996) was a legendary Turkish singer,
musician, and actor, esteemed everywhere as one of the most powerful baritone voices in Turkish pop and nostalgic music. It’s no coincidence he was best known for his emotional songs that interweaves melancholy, loneliness, and moving bohemian themes.
Born in İzmir, he started his
professional career in Ankara in 1961. Later, he received vocal training in
Italy to improve his sophisticated style. The same one that clearly characterized his most sublime hits, for instance ‘Kadınım'(My Woman), ‘Hasret’ (Longing), ‘Koy Koy Koy’ (Pour, Pour, Pour), and ‘Öyle Sarhoş Olsam ki’ (I Wish I Were So Drunk).
Thus, Tanju Okan’s music is a staple of ‘Nostalgia’ (Nostalji) playlists in Turkey, often associated with the 1960s and 70s era.
He recorded his first album in 1964. Then, over his 30 years of legendary musical career, he worked with renowned Turkish songwriters (Fikret Şeneş, Mehmet Teoman) and composers (Melih Kibar, Garo Mafyan) that resulted with the unforgettable emotional songs still standing to time like the ones we talked about a few minutes ago.
His songs’ themes generally concern the deep sadness caused by lovers quitting, loneliness and desire to be drunk to relieve the pain. They say these pieces are best listened with rakı, Okan’s favourite alcohol…
That’s fine, but what about the moral LEGACY he left in Urla? No doubt: to truly understand the man, one must look at Urla, the serene coastal town where he spent his final years. It was there, among the fishing boats and the Aegean breeze, that his indestructible bond with rakı and music found its most peaceful expression.
For this reason, it’s not difficult to demonstrate his profound link and unbreakable, bulletproof connection to Urla and Teyfik Rodos. Well, you know, Tanju Okan spent his final years in the aforementioned coastal town of Urla (we have already described this romantic and picturesque spot not far from İzmir in the first episodes of our analyses on Urladam events), where he eventually passed away. Because of this extremely everlasting ‘friendship’, he is supposed to be a central figure in Urla and remains a cherished legend still remembered in Urladam, the cultural center where Teyfik Rodos has presented his tribute concerts ‘Tanju Okan Şarkıları’ to honor his memory.
In brief, the bond between TANJU OKAN AND URLA is legendary: I mean, he didn’t just live there, but he really became the soul of the town! In fact, after a long and glamorous career in İstanbul, he sought peace and a valid safe haven in this Aegean coastal district, where he spent his final years until his death in 1996.
So probably one might wonder how his life in Urla was…
In short, he became soon a ‘local figure’ admired for his sincere humility. As a matter of fact, it’s not difficult to imagine he was often seen at the İskele area, drinking tea and happily chatting with local fishermen. That’s why he famously said, ‘I found myself in Urla!’
And his strong love for the town led him to run for Mayor of Urla twice (in 1989 and 1994). Unfortunately he never won, even though his vital campaigns are remembered as colorful chapters in the town’s history. Also, he was a passionate sailor and his boat, named ‘Kadınım’ (after his iconic hit), was regarded as a symbol of his bohemian lifestyle in that harbour.
Moreover, there still are some monumental and social traces of Okan’s living Legacy:
-Tanju Okan Park, located at the İskele waterfront and featuring two statues of him (the most popular place for fans to pay their respects while looking out at the sea). This seaside park in the İskele neighborhood is the primary site dedicated to his memory. It hosts seating areas overlooking the sea, lush greenery, and displays of his lyrics and photographs.
-Tanju Okan Statues: within the Park there are two distinct sculptures:
-his song ‘Urlam’ (My Urla), describing the district as his ‘last stop’ and ‘paradise’
-the annual Commemorations held every May 23rd as memorial
services at his grave in the İskele Cemetery. Following his death
in 1996, Okan was buried there in Kabristan according to his wishes.
-Urla City History and Archive (UKTA), the cultural center occasionally hosting temporary exhibitions, such as ‘Tanju Okan and Urla’ with his personal records and memorabilia
-Urladam events have kept his spirit alive thanks to the ‘Tanju Okan Tribute Concerts’ performed by Teyfik Rodos, ensuring that new generations continue to hear the baritone voice and his emotional repertoire (the cornerstone of Turkish nostalgic music) in the very place he loved.
🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
IN CONCLUSION
At the end of this musical journey, we have learned about the social and moral power of music as a means of connection, an art form, and a time machine for preserving memories. We analyzed the social context in which the choir workshop was established. Furthermore, we appreciated the talent of Teyfik Rodos, his impressive events at Urladam, and took a passionate look at the repertoire of nostalgic local music.
Surely this innovative kind of choral workshop expertly guided by the precious teachings of the master Teyfik Rodos will be a mesmerizing throwback journey through time with super songs from the past. From the good old days full of hope and harmony that now seem so remote. Sometimes we probably look at them as if we were the children of a never-ending ‘hüzün’, the poignant communal melancholy raised among weeping songs and hoping hearts. Nevertheless, like the Nostalgia Choir, all the chorists and all of us are absolutely bound to cultivate the neverending beauty and moral values of that bygone era, and to keep up the great work through the force of music and a smile full of hope until the dark clouds drift away!
‘Smile, come on, smile! Let the clouds drift away. Otherwise, how will I renew my life? Maybe a movie will come to the city, a beautiful forest will bloom in the summer’
(Gülümse/Smile, a song by Sezen Aksu)
Free your soul, not just your voice!
[Sources: www.urladam.com.tr, www.last.fm, www.genius.com, www.turkishmusicportal.org, www.ukta.com.tr]
[URLADAM SERIES: EPISODE 8]
written by DOWNTON GAZETTE cultural website & FONTANA SHELTER ART
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