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Dr. Seçkin DERVIS:
"His music teacher told his father he did not have musical talent!..."

by Ekrem YESILADA

Dr. Dervis read his poem accompany with the Mendelssohn
Glee Club Orkestra's performance as 'World Premiere' in
New York on December 4th 2001.

On 29th September 1940, Seckin Dervis was born as the first child of Dervis Akbilen, a merchant in Arasta, (a trade quarter in Nicosia) and Jalefer Sifa, a retired elementary school teacher. After his elementary education he graduated from th college section of the Turkish Lycee. He then attended Medical School in Istanbul, Turkey.

He worked in Cyprus as a phyisitian for a year after graduation from the Medicial School and then went to US to start his residency in plastic surgery. After completion of his residency, he has stayed in Manhattan to commence his practice of medicine.

Despite his heavy work load, he has never neglected the island where he was born and grew up, Cyprus. This can be seen in his social activities with his Cypriot and Turkish friends, including political participation in the "Turkish Lobby" to the great benefit of the Turkish cause.

When we look at his interest in the Traditional Turkish Music and poetry , recalls his disappointment, in his early youth, when he wanted to play the violin. His music teacher told his father he did not have musical talent!...

Because of the effects of his event, and the heavy responsibilities he had first during his education and later on his career, he has not been writing poetry or producing music. However, as of 1999, we have witnessed some important developments in his life.

In July 1999, he has come to Cyprus to visit his loved ones, as he often does. The emotions in him started to flow like a flood, initially when he wrote his poems "Girne Limani (Kyrenia Harbor), followed by "Lefkose Ruzgari" (The Wind of Nicosia) and "Gunah Treni" (Train of Sins).

He together with our country's well-known composer and musician, Ulus Yesilada, composed these three poems in the Tradational Turkish Music and had taped them to have his close friends to listen to.

Dr. Dervis upon his return to New York, gaining courage from the attention his work had received, has continued to write new poems and has composed his fourth song "Asik Siirleri" (Lovers' Poems).

In June, 2000, he has composed and taped his song "Bulbul" (Nightingale) and "Gibisin" (You are like that), again with the assistance of Ulus Yesilada.

Seçkin Dervis stated that he would never forget his friends' surprise during the Turkish-American Medicial Association's Yearly Ball at Hilton Hotel, in New York, last year. That night, the band has played his piece Kyrenia Harbor, which must have been the best gift to be given to a composer.

We have witnessed that, within 16 months, Dr. Dervis have composed five Turkish Art Music, three Folk Music and two Tangos, a total of ten pieces.

Dr. Dervis also composed his latest poem "Tribute To Libery", which was performed as "World Premiere" by The Mendelssohn Glee Club Orkestra and read by Dr. Seckin in New York City, on December 4th, 2002,