Erdem Pancarcı

Erdem Pancarcı, born in Hanau, is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and musical director whose work moves between tradition, improvisation, and contemporary sound. For more than fifteen years, he has explored diverse musical worlds and cultural landscapes, focusing on how musical heritage can be reimagined while preserving its depth and meaning. Originally studying Jazz at Frankfurt FMW with a focus on drums, his artistic journey gradually shifted toward world music and the traditional musical cultures of Anatolia and Mesopotamia. Alongside drums and percussion, the Bağlama and Tembûr became his principal instruments. Over time, he developed a distinctive musical language combining traditional expression, improvisation, jazz, and contemporary influences. His repertoire includes Kurdish, Turkish, Armenian, Persian, and Afghan folk traditions and orally transmitted musical heritage. For Pancarcı, music serves not only as artistic expression but also as a carrier of memory, history, and cultural identity. As a composer, producer, and musical director, he has collaborated with hundreds of artists across diverse backgrounds. His current project, *Mythos of Âşık*, explores the ancient storytelling and musical traditions of Anatolia and Mesopotamia, creating a contemporary sonic landscape where memory, tradition, and renewal meet.