Crimean Tatar song is at the heart of everything Arsen Bekirov does.
For more than two decades he has been a soloist of the Qirim folk ensemble led by Server Kakura — a Crimean State Philharmonic company preserving and developing the national musical tradition since 1990. With the ensemble, Arsen has brought Crimean Tatar art to audiences in Turkey, Poland, Romania, Greece and Tatarstan.
Today this work is reaching the world stage: in 2026, in Istanbul, Arsen recorded 31 songs with Grammy-winning producer Ian Brennan, renowned for his field recordings of endangered musical traditions worldwide. The material spans the life cycle of Crimean Tatar song — from lullabies to wedding songs — and a cycle in memory of the 1944 deportation of the Crimean Tatar people.
As a researcher, Arsen works with archival recordings of Crimean Tatar music in European collections and studies the legacy of Yaya Sherfedinov and the classics of the national repertoire; as an educator, he passes the tradition on — from his university students to the pupils of his vocal school.
Qirim Ensemble
The Crimean Tatar folk ensemble Qirim was founded in 1990 under the Crimean State Philharmonic, with artistic director Server Kakura. Its repertoire includes traditional folk songs, dance music, and original compositions by contemporary Crimean Tatar composers.
Ian Brennan Project
Ian Brennan is a Grammy-winning producer known for his work with Tinariwen and the Zomba Prison Project, and for his documentary field recordings of indigenous and endangered musical traditions worldwide. In April 2026, in Istanbul, Brennan and Arsen recorded 31 songs spanning the complete life cycle of Crimean Tatar musical tradition — from lullabies to funeral laments.
Key elements of the project:
- Life cycle songs: lullabies, children's songs, wedding songs, ritual songs
- Cycle in memory of the 1944 deportation
- Traditional and original melodies in authentic arrangements
- Documentation for future generations and international archives
Research Work
Alongside his stage career, Arsen studies archival recordings of Crimean Tatar music in European collections, with particular focus on the legacy of Yaya Sherfedinov — one of the founders of professional Crimean Tatar music. Research findings inform his pedagogical work and form the basis of methodological textbooks.