Batuhan Aydın

Batuhan Aydın website

• projects •

KAPIKO is an Istanbul-based powerful fusion and progressive ethno/world jazz lineup centered around the kaval – a traditional flute of Anatolia and the Balkans. KAPIKO's latest album "Nova", a milestone of Turkish fusion and ethno/world jazz, was listed among the best Turkish jazz albums of 2022 by writers of Turkey’s foremost jazz magazine, Cazkolik. Following the release of Nova, the band performed at several prominent festivals in Turkey and Europe. Later that same year, KAPIKO released the single Viensko Horo, in collaboration with legendary Bulgarian drummer Stoyan Yankoulov, followed by the single Ethiopian Waltz in 2023.

A wide array of traditional and progressive improvisational concepts, the mesmerizing sound of Turkish kaval virtuoso Batuhan Aydın's soulful kaval playing, energetic stage performances and driving rhythms make the music of KAPIKO a unique experience.

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The Batuhan Aydın Folk Quartet was founded in early 2026 with the aim of creating a new improvisational and harmonic language rooted in the rich folk music traditions of Turkey. Batuhan Aydın, the founder of the project, is Türkiye's foremost avant-garde performer on the kaval – an end-blown flute central to the folk traditions of Anatolia and the Balkans. Through his project KAPIKO, Aydın has established the kaval as a fundamental element of jazz, fusion, and avant-garde music in Türkiye and beyond.

The Batuhan Aydın Folk Quartet represents a return to his folk musical roots. Drawing on traditional Turkish harmonic and melodic concepts, the project develops an independent jazz language grounded in Turkish folk music, with particular emphasis on the rich microtonal traditions of Anatolia. At its core lies a concept of microtonal harmony developed specifically for the ensemble, counterpointed by a fresh approach to instrumental improvisation: a meditation on Anatolian folk melodic material, liberated from traditional constraints. The quartet views itself as a natural evolutionary step for Turkish folk music in the 21st century, shifting the focus from individual to collective performance and improvisation.

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Chifte Kaval is inspired by an ancient pastoral narrative from Bulgaria. According to this tradition, two shepherds bound by lifelong friendship craft a pair of flutes precisely tuned to one another, allowing them to communicate with each other across mountains and valleys through music. The instrument at the center of this narrative – the kaval – is native to Turkey, Bulgaria, and the surrounding regions. Across its many cultural contexts, the kaval has long been associated with pastoral life and deep emotional expression.

Theodosii Spassov and Batuhan Aydın are widely recognized as two of the most influential figures in modern kaval performance. Their collaboration bridges cultures and generations: Theodosii Spassov is the pioneering artist who introduced the kaval to contemporary music on an international scale; Batuhan Aydın is the leading voice in the continuation and expansion of this legacy through modern improvisation and cross-genre practice.

Chifte Kaval brings the age-old legend to the modern concert stage. Appearing as soloists with a chamber or symphony orchestra, Theodosii Spassov and Batuhan Aydın give musical expression to their cross-cultural friendship. The project’s repertoire combines original compositions and traditional motifs within an orchestral language shaped by classical music, contemporary sounds, and jazz.

Chifte Kaval is more than a concert: It is the emotion of centuries condensed into music.

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• videos •

Serenade to a Cuckoo (from KAPIKO's last album "Nova")
Ethiopian Waltz (feat. Ezgi Irem Mutlu)
Gakavik (feat. Gabriela Partofsky)
Haydar Haydar (feat. Merve Akyildiz)
Viensko Horo (feat. Stoyan Yankoulov)
Theodosii Spassov x Batuhan Aydın – Chifte Kaval Project

• short biography •

Istanbul-born jazz musician and composer Batuhan Aydın is a pioneer of modern kaval performance. His music bridges Anatolia, the Balkans, and contemporary jazz, keeping traditions alive and open to new directions. Aydın reimagines the kaval as a global voice - open, expressive, and firmly rooted in the present.

Drawing from deep folk memory and embracing microtonality, improvisation, and cross-genre exploration, his art transcends stylistic boundaries. His music is neither backward-looking nor overly theoretical; it is alive, searching, and firmly future-oriented. Whether in acoustic, orchestral, electronic, or jazz-based contexts, Aydın builds bridges across centuries of cultural heritage, moving tradition toward new sonic realms.

Batuhan Aydın's Full Biography

• selected quotes •

"Batuhan Aydın is not a musician - he is music itself!"
- Prof. Bernhard Vanecek, Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts (Germany)

"He's living sunshine on earth."
- Prof Leonhard Paul, from the legendary Mnozil Brass & University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW) (Austri)

"When Batuhan Aydın enters a room, you just know - he's the star of the evening."
- Prof. Hristijan Nikolovski, University of Goce Delcev Music Academy (North Macedonia)

"He is, by all means, a fantastic musician."
- Prof. Bruno Candido, Conservatório Regional de Castelo Branco (Portugal)

"Without a doubt, Batuhan Aydın represents the future of the kaval on the world stage"
- Prof. Lyuben Dossev, Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts "Prof. Asen Diamandiev" - Plovdiv, Bulgaria

• external links •

Batuhan Aydın's website
Batuhan Aydın on Wikipedia
Batuhan Aydın on Instagram
Batuhan Aydın on Bandcamp
Batuhan Aydın on Apple Music
Batuhan Aydın on Spotify
Batuhan Aydın on YouTube

KAPIKO website
KAPIKO on Instagram
KAPIKO on Music Apple
KAPIKO on Spotify
KAPIKO on YouTube