Jazz Concert to Celebrate Musician's 20th Year

Janusz Szprot, a jazz musician, musicologist, educator, and currently an instructor at the Bilkent University, has organized a special concert in order to mark his 20th academic year at Bilkent. The concert will be held Monday, December 20 at the Bilkent Concert Hall. Bilkent News had an opportunity to sit down for a chat with Szprot about his two decades at Bilkent.

As a professional jazz pianist, composer, and band leader, Szprot has immensely enjoyed touring many countries and performing  with numerous jazz giants such as Wild Bill Davison, Budd Johnson,Joe Lee Wilson, Kirk Ligtsey, Big Bill Ramsey, Simeon Szterev, Ethiopian Mulatu Astatke, and American blues singers. He has made successful appearances at the biggest international jazz festivals; toured Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, and his native Poland.

"My adventure with Bilkent began with a set of concerts in Turkey in 1988, accompanied by successful workshops held at what was then a very young, developing university," says Szprot. "Following this positive endeavor, in 1990 I was asked by President of Bilkent University Prof. İhsan Doğramacı and Dean of the Faculty of Music and Performing Arts Ersin Onay to create the first Jazz Studies Program in Turkey, later named the 'Rhythmic Music Section.' The success of this innovative program helped to form the reputation of the Faculty of Music as one of the best music schools in the country."

After his first 4 years at Bilkent, while still a full-time instructor at the music faculty, Szprot became a part-time teacher at the newly opened Bilkent University Preparatory School where he taught piano, music appreciation, IGCSE music courses, and IB composition.

In 1993  he started teaching another innovative course at the Music Faculty - General Music Theory and History, or Music Appreciation - for non-major students, in which over 80 students from each semester participate. Since 1993 almost 2000 students attended this every popular and successful course.

According to Szprot, "In 2008, I was appointed by the Doğramacı family to partake in yet another pioneering program and founded the first music program and school band in the newly opened Erzurum Özel Bilkent Lisesi. Now after two years of involvement with Erzurum, I have returned to Ankara and am once again involved with the creation of the first concert band program at İDV Özel Bilkent İlköğretim Okulu.

I have also resumed teaching a course in music appreciation at both FMPA and BUSEL."

"I am very proud and honored to be a part of this great Bilkent community and was lucky enough to take part in many pioneering projects, ideas and events, as envisioned by the Doğramacı family."

Szprot invites everyone to the concert by Young@Hearts, an ensemble composed of the stars of Turkish jazz, with guest performances by Szprot's current and former students and special guests. It is customary for a jazz concert to be spontaneous, so its program will not be specified.

The concert is supported by the Polish Embassy and will include typical jazz standards, original compositions by Janusz and guest musicians, and solo and ensemble performances, both vocal and instrumental. Szprot also said that it would be a pleasure for him to perform "What a Wonderful World" in memory of İhsan Doğramacı, a song that he loved very much.

"I had the honor to present my music to the Founder and President of Bilkent University, Prof. İhsan Doğamacı. It is to him and his family that I owe my long and successful career at Bilkent, and I would like to dedicate this concert to his memory.”