The zakirbashilik tradition in the 20th century and the musical transformation experienced in Turkish religious music

Very few studies conducted explicitly on the role of zakirbaşı have been found in the literature. These studies do not contain sufficient information about the zakirbaşı tradition. The primary purpose of this study is to understand the place of the institution of zakirbaşı in lodge music, to realize its impact on traditional music life, and to examine the transformation of zakirbaşı and, therefore, lodge music in the context of the events of the 20th century. In this context, the duties of zakirbaşıs in the institutions they work in, their training methods, what zakirbaşı is, and personal interviews with authorities in the field were conducted. Information about the lives of those who served as zakirbaşı in the 20th century was collected, and the transformation of this institution was examined in the context of these lives and the events that took place in the 20th century. In the 20th century, a transformation occurred due to the formation of the field we call the music industry and the influence of Egyptian and Arabic Music on Turkish Music. The walls of lodges and zawiyas and the laws banning Turkish Music in public areas interrupted Turkish Religious Music for a certain period. Turkish Religious Music, which evolved in a new direction between the demands of the official authorities and the society, restructured itself and took on a structure that determined the direction of the tradition in its way, within complicated processes. Despite the prohibitions, society has produced new solutions within the context of its own needs, and these solutions have been successful, thus leaving lasting effects. Although the transformation process is a subject that many disciplines will study together and obtain accurate results, this study is a modest introduction in terms of the musical aspect of the subject.