SAVT is an improvisation band based in Istanbul and Strasbourg. The trio consists of tanbur, classical kemençe, and cello, proposes new possibilities to the Taksim tradition by their improvisations that seeks to build its unique language by exploring beyond the tradition. SAVT concerts also give place to contemporary written music and aim to encourage music production for the traditional instruments. Established by Elif Canfeza Gündüz, Merve Salgar and Zeynep Ayşe Hatipoğlu in 2015, since they had performed in various cultural venues around Istanbul, also performed in Denmark and Norway. SAVT's debut album "Birinci Hane" has been released in June 2020.
interviews
daily sabah, 06/04/2021, Available in English, https://www.dailysabah.com/arts/music/savt-trios-fresh-take-on-improvisational-music
bantmag, 26/12/2020, Available in Turkish
https://bantmag.com/deneyim-ve-o-andalik-uzerinden-dusunen-muzik-savt/
Cellist and composer based in İstanbul, Zeynep Ayşe Hatipoğlu had started cello education at the State Conservatory of Istanbul University, then continued her studies at the State Conservatory for Turkish Music in Istanbul Technical University (ITU TMDK) and graduated with a double major in Composition and Cello Performance. After finishing her graduate education in Music Theory and Composition department, her studies focused on musical time perception and improvisation practices. She had performed in various bands and orchestras with various styles ranging from western classical to Turkish makam, from contemporary, experimental to rock music. Throughout Turkey and abroad she had given collective and solo performances, also her compositions had been performed in various concerts and festivals. Ayşe is actively performing with Savt, Klank.ist ensembles. Currently she is a research assistant at ITU TMDK composition department and continuing her Ph.D. studies at the cello performance department at ITU Center for Advanced Studies in Music (MIAM).
Merve Salgar born in 1990 in Istanbul, Turkey. She started studying music at Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music Conservatory (ITU TMDK) in 2004. During her studies at the Conservatory, which lasted for seven years, she studied tanbur (turkish long-necked lute) with Sadun Aksüt. Between 2008 and 2011 she worked as a tanbur player at TRT (Turkish Radio and Television Corporation). In 2011, she moved to Strasbourg, France to pursue her studies. She graduated in 2016 with a masters degree from the University of Strasbourg. She is currently continuing her her PhD studies in musicology (Associated research units Contemporary approach on artistic creation and process) at Universty of Strasbourg. Though she preforms a lot ottoman/turkish music, she always experiments with new sounds and continues to explore improvised music. She currently performs with SAVT, Karmanota, Sousta Politiki and Turquoise.
Born on 23th July 1994 in Istanbul, Elif Canfezâ Gündüz graduated from the classical kemenche class of 2016 mentored by Ms. Neva Özgen at the Musical Performance Department of Istanbul Technical University Turkish Music Conservatory. She has been serving as a guest performer at Istanbul State Ensemble of Turkish Music Research and Performance. Furthermore, she was entitled to receive Achievement Award in classical kemenche category of the Young Musical Performers Competition held by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. As one of the founders of the promising music groups called 'Arfana', 'Şimdilik Trio' and 'Savt', she continues to record albums with them. Arfana's album called 'Anatolian Folk-Jazz Impressions' was released on November 2017 by Kalan Music. Till now, Elif Canfezâ Gündüz has performed numerous concerts - both solo and in-group - and delivered seminars on Turkish maqam in Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Denmark, South Korea, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, the Netherlands, Israel, Australia, Belgium, Macedonia and Norway.