^#smrgSAHAF İstanbul Kültür Sanat Vakfı -

The first Istanbul Festival took placc June 15-July 15, 1973. From its inception, the Istanbul Festival, held annually, has included in its programs the finest examples of artistic creativity in the fields of music (orchestral concerts, chamber music, recitals, and traditional Turkish music), classical ballet and contemporary dance, opera, folklore, jazz/pop, cinema, drama and visual arts from both Turkey and abroad, as well as seminars, conferences and lectures. In 1986, after the separation of the Biennial, Film, Theatre and Jazz as distinct festivals, the name of the International Istanbul Festival was changed to International Istanbul Music Festival, which, since then, has carried on its activities as a specialized summer festival of classical music, ballet, opera and traditional music. In its programs, the Festival particularly emphasizes "sharing artistic inspiration" and creates programs in which international orchestras and conductors perform with Turkish soloists or vice versa. Performances like the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Adam Fisher with soloist idil Biret; Czech Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Valek with pianist Fazil Say; Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gotthold Lessing with soloists Suna Kan, Ayla Erduran and Yehudi Menuhin; Montserrat Caballe with Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Jose Collado; or Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks conducted by Lorin Maazel with pianist Hiiseyin Sermet are outcomes of this approach. The Iriternational Istanbul Music Festival, the flagship of the International Istanbul Festivals, has earned a reputation for its major role in encouraging research in musicology and in launching special projects on shared cultural values through its productions.