500 East 63rd Street, Apt 23K, New York NY, 10065
Instruments:Percussion, World Music
Styles:World
Levels:Beginner, Intermediate
Experience:15 years
Rate:$50 / hr
Personal Statement
TEACHING BACKGROUND
Nezih graduated from the University of Arts in Rotterdam/Netherlands (CODARTS). He has taught numerous workshops on an international level, like at Centro Nacional de las Artes (CENART) in Mexico City or at Folktours’ Middle Eastern Music Camp in Pennsylvania, just to name a few. He also worked as a Middle Eastern percussion teacher at the El Ele Turkish foundation in Rotterdam/Netherlands.
LESSONS
Nezih Antakli is offering individual and group lessons. All levels and ages are welcome. Each student is being approached individually according to his/her level and feeling by creating a balance between intuitive learning and technique/analysis.
Education / Training
Nezih Antakli was born in Germany as a son of Turkish and Syrian immigrants. He began his musical journey as a teenager by learning to play the guitar. After a couple of years of performing with various rock/pop/funk formations, he discovered his passion and affinity for percussion instruments, a significant decision that gave his musical career a whole new direction.
In search for a deeper and broader knowledge of rhythm and music, Nezih decided to move to the Netherlands in 1999 to study percussion with Martin Verdonk, Nils Fischer, Lucas van Merwijk and Dirk Hauptmann at the Rotterdam Conservatory, where he graduated in 2004 with a major in Latin percussion. Beside, he has continued his education taking lessons and attending workshops given by great masters such as:
Glen Velez, Armando Peraza, Michael Spiro, Hossam Ramzy, Ismail Pesluk, Pedro Estevan, Orestes Vilato, Richie Flores, Ralph Irizarry and Hamdi Akatay.
During his years in the Netherlands, Nezih Antakli collaborated with a vast number of musicians with different musical inclinations, be they in Latin, Middle Eastern, jazz, funk, Balkan, klezmer, flamenco, African or Brazilian music, which gave him the opportunity to travel to different parts of the world and gain experience as an international touring artist. He performed on all major festivals in the Netherlands and performed and toured throughout Europe, Turkey, Mexico, Argentina and the USA.
A self-proclaimed musicologist, he also traveled the world many times in search for new sounds and grooves, picking up some of the local traditions and incorporating them to his own personal style.
In October 2007 he moved to the USA, where his musical background has enabled him to position himself in the Philadelphia/NYC music scene.