"Rakı Havası for Woodwind Quintet and Optional Davul was commissioned by WindSync in 2019. The work is inspired by the celebratory drinking tunes and dances of the northwest region of Turkey. Rakı is Turkey's national alcoholic drink and mainly produced from the grapes and aniseed of the region. This drink does not only influence the human body but has also influenced the folk music of the region with super cheerful and explosively energetic music in 9/8 meter. For an authentic performance, drinking by the performers is recommended, but for an accurate performance, maybe not."
--Erberk Eryılmaz
recorded in living rooms across the United States, June 2020
sound and video editing by Emily Tsai
WindSync
Garrett Hudson, flute
Emily Tsai, oboe
Julian Hernandez, clarinet
Anni Hochhalter, horn
Kara LaMoure, bassoon