An Eight-Week Group Class with Ercan Alkan - Bağlama (Turkish Saz) for Beginners
Saturdays 6-8 pm: 2/28, 3/7, 3/14, 3/21, 3/28, 4/18, 4/25

Jalopy Theatre is glad to announce adding the Bağlama (Turkish Saz) to our offerings in 2026 with Ercan Alkan. Once carried from town to town by wandering bards, the Bağlama (commonly called the saz) is still the core of Turkish folk music and even modern Anatolian psychedelic rock. We are inviting you to learn to play the Bağlama from scratch. Each week, we will introduce fundamental techniques for playing this Anatolian lute through the study of classic Turkish folk songs. Start to play like Arif Sağ, Aşık Veysel, or even Altın Gün. An unparalleled introduction to Middle Eastern music and a gateway to other string instruments of the region. Open to motivated beginners and intermediate students who want to reinforce the basics.

Instrument rentals available as add-on tickets when you register for the course. The instructor can assist you in purchasing your own learning instrument as well, just ask if you're interested.

Ercan Alkan was born in the eastern Anatolian city of Erzurum. He has played the bağlama since being a child, having grown up with the sacred instrument in an Alevi priestly family. He is accredited by the Bağlama Academy of Arif Sağ, the greatest living master of the instrument, and has also studied in the school of Erdal Erzincan. Ercan has taught the bağlama both in Türkiye and the US, in group and private settings.

Photo description: Ercan Alkan among his bağlama students
Video description: Erdal Erzincan playing and performing Gitme Turnam

We are excited to enlarge our community and nurture our students, in that spirit, we are happy to offer you a 15% discount for bringing a friend to sign up for the first round of 2026 classes!
*For financial aid email lynette@jalopytheatre.org.

Beginning Bağlama (Saz) with Ercan Alkan - An Eight-Week Group Class

Beginning Bağlama (Saz) with Ercan Alkan - An Eight-Week Group Class