Older readers who were resident in Turkey over the last 25 years or so will remember one of Turkey's greatest musical performers, the late Zeki Muren. In his forty-five-year professional career he composed more than one hundred songs and made more than two hundred recordings.

He was celebrated as the 'Sun' of classical Turkish music, and affectionately called 'Pasha' by all. He died on stage in the city of Izmir on 24 September 1996. Zeki Muren's contribution to modernizing Turkey, his impact upon popular Turkish culture, and his legacy to Turkey's arts will be celebrated at Bodrum Catsle on the 10th anniversary of his death on 24th September. The activities will be broadcasted live on TRT. 

Well known TV presenter Halit Kivanc has donated Zeki Muren's photographs and documents, which he was keeping in his personal archives, to Bodrum museum. Kivanc said that he had always admired the way Zeki Muren was speaking Turkish and the way he pronounced the words. The Manager of the museum stated that the donated documents are appreciated and that the photographs will be framed and hang on the walls of the museum.
 
Zeki Muren (1931-1996) grew up in the provincial capital city of Bursa in western Turkey. From 1950 to 1953 he studied Decorative Arts in Istanbul at the Fine Arts Academy, while launching his musical career. Zeki’s first album was issued in 1951 when he was a regular singer on Istanbul Radio. Later he moved on to Turkish cinema starring in eighteen films and writing many of the musical scores. Zeki Muren was also a gifted poet, publishing Bildircin Yagmuru (The Quail Rain) in 1951. In 1955 he produced his first Gold Record, and for many subsequent years he reigned as Turkey's 'Artist of the Year'.