Fantasy, Op. 15: 2. Profondo

Composer, pianist, and producer Kaan Bulak collaborates with renowned trumpeter Simon Höfele on Fantasy Op. 15, a work seamlessly blending classical and contemporary influences. Tailored specifically for Höfele’s trumpet, the composition also incorporates electronic elements, creating a unique sonic dialogue. Bulak, born in Aachen in 1991 and raised in Istanbul, studied composition and sound studies in Berlin. Inspired by both cities, he crosses musical boundaries, performing contemporary works and classical arrangements with his electro-acoustic ensemble at venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie, Verbier Festival, and BBC Radio 3 Open Ear. Höfele approached Bulak in search of a piece for his BBC performance. Without an existing work, Bulak composed Fantasy Op. 15 as an improvisatory process. The electronic sounds were derived entirely from Höfele’s trumpet, from bass tones to percussive effects, creating a dialogue between the instrument and its own shadow. The three movements—Agitato, Profondo, and Adagio Sonoro—borrow classical structures while introducing unconventional sonic and philosophical elements. For Höfele, the piece is deeply special: “The electronics add a new dimension, surrounding the listener and allowing them to lose themselves in the music.”

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Kaan Bulak

Kaan Bulak was born in Aachen (DE) and spent his childhood in Istanbul (TR) where he started to play the piano at the age of 5. During high school in Stuttgart (DE) Bulak grew up at the piano as a student of Andrej Jussow. Instead of pursuing plans as a pianist, after some detours into mathematics and economy, he studied audio engineering, followed by a master in sound art at the University of Arts Berlin. Bulak studied audio techniques in Studio P4 at Funkhaus with Jean-Boris Szymczak and composition with Martin Supper. From 2018 until 2020 Bulak was a fellow of #bebeethoven for the Beethoven jubilee. During this time he researched his concept of the Augmented Piano, wrote and recorded several electro-acoustic works as an artist-in-residence at ZKM Karlsruhe.

Influenced by his two hometowns Istanbul and Berlin, Bulak found his unique way of composing beyond geographical or cultural boundaries. In a similar fashion, Bulak disregards distinctions between acoustic and electronic instruments and performs new works and arrangements of early music with his own electroacoustic ensemble. On stage, electronic sounds breathe jointly with strings and resonate in classical halls through the custom 360° loudspeaker Lynch developed by Bulak in collaboration with Martion Audiosysteme. So far, Bulak's music was presented on stages such as Philharmonie Berlin, Verbier Festival, LSO St. Luke's London, Şerefiye Sarnıcı Istanbul, Philharmonie Dortmund, Konzerthaus Berlin, Schloss Elmau, ZKM Karlsruhe, Sónar Istanbul, Beethovenfest Bonn, Podium Festival, XJazz Berlin & Istanbul, and aired with mention on BBC, BR Klassik, SWR2, arte, ZDF, DW, ORF. On stage and in studio Bulak has collaborated with artists from all over the spectrum such as Sarah Aristidou, Robert Lippok, Cosmin TRG, Anastasia Kobekina, Luise Enzian, Taner Akyol Trio, Julien Quentin, Adrien Boisseau, and Jay Haze.

In 2017 the audiovisual art label Feral Note was founded by Bulak to extend the process of composing and shaping music up to its release. As a composer who also mixes and masters recordings, the boundaries of musical expressions are redefined with each release and concert. Feral Note Salon, the label's own studio in Berlin, is also where Bulak does freelance work as producer and audio engineer. Furthermore, Bulak has given lectures on how to achieve expressive sounding releases in his lectures on electro-acoustic production, mixing, and mastering at NYU Berlin Clive Davis Institute.