Güvenç Birer is an oud player, choir conductor, composer, lyricist, and music educator from İzmir. In his musical career, he has participated in various cultural projects, primarily focusing on Turkish music. However, he identifies himself more as an educator.

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Birer began his music theory education in middle school and continued with choir work during his high school years. He first joined the TOBAV Polyphonic Youth Choir. Later, he also participated in Turkish music choirs and performed in concerts with all these choirs. During his high school years, he started teaching with the Turkish Educational Volunteers Foundation (TEGV), which became a ten-year journey where he realized that teaching was a passion for him. While gaining experience as a choir conductor and performing concerts with a choir he formed there, he continued singing in other choirs as a chorister, including during his conservatory years, to observe and learn.

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In 2007, while still a third-year student at Ege University State Turkish Music Conservatory, which he graduated from with first place, he accepted an offer to establish the Faculty of Agriculture Turkish Classical Music Choir at the university, driven by his passion for teaching. This was his first experience working with adults in the field of Turkish classical music. His work in this area gained momentum afterwards. He continued conducting the YURT-KUR İzmir Regional Directorate Bornova Student Dormitory TSM Choir, the Seferihisar Public Education Center Turkish Classical Music Choir, and the Buca Public Education Center Turkish Classical Music Choir.

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After graduating from university, he completed a master’s degree in educational sciences and was appointed as a teacher. He worked as a full-time music teacher first in Batman and then in the districts of Kiraz, Menemen, and Konak in İzmir. At his last teaching position at Konak Hamdi Dalan Special Education Practice School, he worked with individuals with various intellectual disabilities, mainly autism. This was a significant turning point in his life as he discovered new ways of teaching. In his 11th year as a specialist teacher, he resigned from this position and took over as the head of İzmir Music Academy, where he had been an advisor and honorary founder since its establishment. There, he manages administrative tasks as well as teaches oud, music theory, and conservatory preparation courses, and conducts the Traditional Turkish Classical Music Fasl-ı Cedîd Ensemble and Popular Music Choirs.

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In parallel with leaving his state teaching position, he also founded İZMA Music Production and Organization, adding two high-quality studios to İzmir’s music scene. Through this company, he gained experience managing many artists’ album processes from the initial arranging and recording stages to the final digital release.

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Bremen Period

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For many years, musical projects have been organized between the sister cities of İzmir & Bremen. Since 2016, Güvenç Birer has been involved in the project. Recognized by the Bremen Senate as the official İzmir Coordinator of the events and a cultural ambassador between the two cities, Birer established the official partnership between İzmir Music Academy and Westend. After this, Birer and Peter Dahm, as directors of their respective organizations, realized many artistic projects together. The “Transition” Project, organized under the auspices of the Bremen Senate and offering audiences unique experiences with the participation of artists from both countries, is known as the umbrella organization. Initially coming together through this project, the duo later founded the Sıkıntı Yok Ensemble, which also brought together artists from both countries. With this ensemble, Birer signed his first album project. The album, consisting of Peter Dahm’s compositions, included two pieces, Aras and Sota, for which Birer wrote the lyrics and recorded them in the album.

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During concerts in Bremen, Birer met an amateur group consisting mainly of Turkish people from Bremen, in addition to professionals. Over time, he developed relationships with the group members. With the onset of the COVID-2019 pandemic, this relationship evolved further. The group members began taking oud lessons and Turkish music performance lessons remotely, and also received bağlama, vocal, piano, and rhythm lessons from teachers at İzmir Music Academy. When the pandemic ended, the group members and Birer wished to continue with in-person work. They began meeting monthly in Bremen. Incorporating not only Turkish music but also works in different dialects and languages into its repertoire, they effectively formed an Eastern music ensemble in Bremen: WestEast Chor. The ensemble, under Birer’s general artistic direction, rehearses at Westend and continues to perform two concerts each season.

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Other Artistic Works

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In addition to the artistic projects during the Bremen period, Birer is also a member of the Okeanos Orchestra, founded by İzmir-based artist Evrim Ateşler, which serves as a cultural bridge between Turkey and Greece. This orchestra is especially known in Turkey for performing the Greek Smyrneika and Rembetiko music genres. Birer has also contributed to album, single, and other projects under Ateşler’s artistic direction. The album Mikra Asia – Asia Minor marks a new milestone in Birer’s artistic journey, as it represents progress in a new musical genre for him.

Güvenç Birer has composed many original works of his own, both music and lyrics. He has organized a concert featuring his compositions, and planning for several albums is ongoing.

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Birer has also played an active role in various charity concerts and major events, dedicating many of the concerts he organized to meaningful causes.

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In light of all this, it can be said that Güvenç Birer has participated in diverse cultural and social projects throughout his musical journey and has played an active role especially in Turkish music education and concerts.

Peter Dahm is a German saxophonist and composer based in Bremen. Dahm has a rich and diverse musical career, contributing to numerous projects, albums, and bands. Known for performing in a variety of musical genres, he has worked in genres including jazz, Balkan folklore, Klezmer, and Turkish-Arabic music.

His compositions often blend these diverse influences, creating unique and captivating musical experiences. Dahm is actively involved in musical work at the Kulturwerkstatt Westend in Bremen, where he serves as artistic music director. He has organized and directed numerous musical events and collaborations, bringing together amateur and professional musicians. He has also performed extensively with groups such as Klezgoyim, where he explores traditional pieces with contemporary interpretations. He has also continued similar work with the "Sorting No Ensemble," a group formed by musicians who came together as part of the Izmir and Bremen Sister City Project. The artist has also released numerous albums from all of these projects, including his most recent album, "Izmir Touch." He has also worked with Zülfü Livaneli in Europe, particularly in Bremen and Germany.

Peter Dahm is an artist who uses the universal language of music to unite different cultures and promote musical diversity. His contributions to Bremen and his international projects have earned him a significant place in the music world.