Turkish music instruments in a western-style orchestra setting: Orchestration analysis of Oğuzhan Balcı’s “Ninni”

This study examines the orchestration techniques employed in Oğuzhan Balcı’s composition Ninni for the ITU TMDK Traditional Instruments Orchestra. The research focuses on how traditional Turkish instruments are adapted within a polyphonic orchestral work. Through an orchestration analysis, the study explores instrument combinations, textural layering, and scoring techniques. The methodology includes content analysis of the piece, evaluating orchestration methods applied to different instrument families such as wind, bowed string, and plucked string sections. The study also discusses the role of each instrument in contributing to the overall orchestral sound, emphasizing their textural interactions. The findings highlight the challenges and solutions in achieving harmonic balance and intonational accuracy with traditional Turkish instruments. Moreover, it explores how Balcı strategically uses orchestration to highlight the expressive qualities of each instrument while maintaining coherence within the ensemble. The results suggest that composers working with traditional Turkish instruments in an orchestral setting must adopt specific scoring techniques to accommodate the unique characteristics of these instruments. By providing insights into the orchestral use of these instruments, this study serves as a resource for composers and arrangers working with similar ensembles. The research contributes to the broader field of orchestration studies by offering a detailed examination of techniques that facilitate the integration of traditional Turkish instruments into a polyphonic orchestral setting.