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A concert marking the 752nd anniversary of the death of 13th-century Sufi poet Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi was held Dec. 19 at Symphony Space in New York, featuring the New Manhattan Sinfonietta conducted by Gurer Aykal, with performances by pianist Can Cakmur and musician Omer Faruk Tekbilek.
A concert commemorating Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi as part of the annual Seb i Arus events drew strong interest at Symphony Space in New York, featuring the New Manhattan Sinfonietta under conductor Gurer Aykal, with performances by pianist Can Cakmur and musician Omer Faruk Tekbilek.
The March of Love concert was held for art lovers at Symphony Space’s Peter Jay Sharp Theatre.
Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi was a 13th-century poet, Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic whose writings on love, tolerance and spiritual unity have resonated far beyond his time and place.
His death is commemorated as Seb i Arus, a tradition that marks his union with the divine and is observed with ceremonies and artistic performances each year.
Held under the main sponsorship of Turkish Airlines and organized in collaboration with the Turkish American Arts Society of New York, or TAASNY, and the New Manhattan Sinfonietta, the March of Love concert drew strong interest from art lovers in New York.
A concert commemorating Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi as part of the annual Seb i Arus events drew strong interest at Symphony Space in New York on Dec. 19, 2025. (Photo via Memleket)
At New York’s Symphony Space Concert Hall, the event presented a repertoire inspired by Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi’s philosophy of union. The New Manhattan Sinfonietta performed under the baton of acclaimed conductor Gurer Aykal.
Internationally award-winning pianist Can Cakmur received praise for his performance, while musician Omer Faruk Tekbilek brought Eastern melodies to life through contemporary interpretations.
Performances by the Culture and Tourism Ministry’s Istanbul Historical Turkish Music Ensemble added a distinct touch to the evening. The nearly two-hour concert ended with prolonged standing ovations from the audience.
Hosted by Turkish Airlines’ New York general manager Emre Ismailoglu, the event was attended by Consul General Ambassador Muhittin Ahmet Yazal, Emine Yildiz, the wife of Türkiye’s permanent representative to the United Nations Ahmet Yildiz, THY New York marketing manager Alp Ozaman, AK Party USA Chairman Halil Mutlu, TADF President Gulay Aydemir, and representatives of numerous civil society organizations.
In a repertoire inspired by Rumi’s Seb i Arus tradition, themes of love, unity and tolerance took center stage. Featuring musical works from different cultures, the concert brought Rumi’s universal message to New York art lovers.
Emre Ismailoglu, Turkish Airlines’ general manager in New York, said the carrier would continue supporting cultural and artistic projects.
He stressed the importance of promoting Rumi’s universal values on international platforms, adding that such events make an important contribution to intercultural interaction. Ismailoglu also said the main aim of the event was to introduce the teachings of Mevlana and Turkish culture to Americans.
Türkiye’s consul general in New York, Ambassador Muhittin Ahmet Yazal, said commemorating Rumi in New York carried special significance and thanked all individuals and institutions involved in bringing the spiritual evening to life.
Ibrahim Yazici, president of TAASNY, said the concert marked an important step in promoting Turkish art internationally. He noted that the aim was to convey Rumi’s message of love and tolerance to different societies through art.
Conductor Gurer Aykal also said they were delighted to perform in New York as part of the commemoration program for world-renowned Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi.
At the end of the evening, Turkish Airlines’ New York general manager Emre Ismailoglu presented flowers to Aykal and pianist Can Cakmur.
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