Alaaddin Yavaşça

Composer, vocal artist, medical doctor (b..  Kilis, on 1^st March 1926 - d. 23 December 2021, Istanbul). After having attended Kilis Kemaliye Primary School and Kilis Secondary School, he went to İstanbul Erkek High School and graduated from Istanbul University, Faculty of Medicine in 1951. He completed his specialization in Haseki Hopsital of Istanbul University, and became a gynecologist in 1955. He became the chief intern and assistant chief in Zeynep Kamil Doğumevi (T.N. Maternity Hospital), Taksim İlk Yardım Hospital, Şişli Etfal Hospital. He passed the chieftaincy test and became chief of gynecology clinic in Vakıf Gureba Hospital established in 1969 until 1976 and also he founded maternity division there. Then he was appointed as the chief of gynecology clinic at Haseki Hospital. During the time between 1985 and 1990 he worked as the chief doctor there and then got retired. During that time, he trained many gynecology specialists. He published many scientific articles in Tıp Dünyası, Şişli Hastanesi Bülteni, Zeynep Kamil Hastanesi Bülteni, Vakıf Gureba Bülteni, Haseki Tıp Bülteni, Sağlık Bakanlığı Bülteni (Journals) and he spoke at many national and international symposiums.

Along with medicine, he was always interested in music in his young ages and he improved himself in it. He took courses at İstanbul Municipality Conservatory, İleri Türk Musikisi Conservatory and in the Istanbul University Choir. He became a vocal artist in İstanbul Radio upon passing the test in 1950. He became a member and a chairman of the Advisory Committee, Audit Commission, Repertoire Commission within TRT and radios of Turkey. While he was vocal artist, he also began to conduct a choir (Klasik Türk Musikisi Erkekler Korosu ve Beraber Şarkılar – T.N. Male Choir of Classical Turkish Music) in 1967. He worked at the Commission of Research, Assessment and Survey of Turkish Music of the Ministry Of National Education, 5^th Five-Year Commission of Turkish Music Education of the State Planning Organization. Beginning from 1976, he had worked at Administrative Body of Turkish Music Sate Conservatory of which he was one of the founders, and he was also among the Management Board, teaching staff and Counseling Department there. He was assigned as a Professor of Turkish Music State Conservatory, İstanbul Technical University (İTÜ) and became the chairman of the Department of Voice Training. In 2005, he left İTÜ and started workeing at Haliç University. Along with his performances, Alaaddin Yavasça composed many works, including semai, ka-ı natık, vocal and instrumental (Peşrev, Saz Semai, Methal, Etüd- Étude) pieces, marches, divan, children’s songs, mawlavi rituals and canticles. He gave many concerts at home and abroad. He was honored with many awards in music and medicine and he was assigned as a professor at İTÜ State Conservatory by YÖK (T.N. Council of Higher Education) and in 1991 he was given the title of State Artist. He was also given many awards and plaque of appreciation by many institutions.

WORKS:

Türk Musikisi’nde Kompozisyon ve Beste Biçimleri, Devlet Sanatçısı Alaaddin Yavaşça Besteleri, Prof. Dr. Alaaddin Yavaşça Şiirleri (2010), Mısralarla Gönlümdeki Yavaşça (editor, Sinan Sipahi; poems by Taner Çağlayan for Alaeddin Yavaşca and thought of his artist friends about Yavaşca, 2011), Gönülden Gönüle Güfteler (Pub. Ayten Yavaşca, Dr. Semra Özgün, Sinan Sipahi, 2011). 

REFERENCE: Rahmi Kalaycıoğlu / Türk Musikisi Bestekârlar Külliyatı (4 cilt, 1979), Avni Anıl / Anılar ve Belgelerle Musikimiz (1981), Mehmet Nazmi Özalp / Türk Musikisi Tarihi (1986), Yılmaz Öztuna / Büyük Türk Musikisi Ansiklopedisi (1990), Hasan Oral Şen / Dr. Alaeddin Yavaşca (2001), Ahmet Şahin Ak / Türk Musikisi Tarihi (2002), Vural Sözer / Müzik Ansiklopedik Sözlük (2005), İhsan Işık / Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006, gen. 2. bas. 2007) - Ünlü Sanatçılar (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 5, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), Alaeddin Yavaşça (editör: Sinan Sipahi, 2011), Mısralarla Gönlümdeki Yavaşça (editör, Sinan Sipahi; hakkında şiirler görüşler, 2011).