Türkiye’s most prominent ney player, Sinem Hondoroglu, an artist with the Modern Folkloric Music Ensemble of the Directorate of Fine Arts at Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, performed for art and music lovers in Cairo on May 18 at a musical event organized by the Grand Egyptian Museum to mark International Museum Day.
The event held under the slogan “Museums Unite a Divided World,” the event featured artists from different countries. Hondoroglu received widespread admiration from the audience with an evening of ney performances.
As part of her Cairo program, she performed on May 19 during the Atatürk Remembrance and Youth and Sports Day event at the Turkish Embassy in Cairo. The melodies of the ney resonated in the historic capital, giving attendees a chance to experience the delicacy of traditional Turkish music and the strong cultural ties between Türkiye and Egypt.
Hondoroglu said it was her first visit to Cairo, noting that while she has performed in many Arab countries, Cairo left a unique impression on her. She has been interested in Egyptian culture for years, has conducted research in the field, and has been learning Arabic, with a focus on the Egyptian dialect.
She added her connection to Egypt also has a personal dimension: part of her family traces back to Egypt, with one ancestor from the 19th century.
During her visit, she toured the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Pyramids, and Khan el-Khalili market. She said she was especially moved by the historic atmosphere of El Fishawi Café and fell in love with the museum. She described Cairo as a unique city that brings together history, music, and culture, and expressed her wish to visit Egypt again.
Hondoroglu is one of Türkiye’s most prominent ney players, with a career spanning productions for the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), performances with symphony orchestras, and appearances on international stages. She began her musical journey in Ankara, studying Turkish classical music at TRT. She also produced radio programs for Voice of Türkiye and performed as a ney player on TRT broadcasts.
She has also drawn attention for her academic work, researching the use of the ney in modern orchestral arrangements. She is known for bridging traditional Turkish music with a contemporary musical vision.
