Namik Haluk Baskinci
Encyclopedia
Haluk Baskinci was a Turkish
architect
, engineer
and musician
.
, the border town to Greece
and Bulgaria
on November 25, 1957. Looking back to a long glorious family history - his grandfather Ali Baskinci, called "Arap Ali" (Ali the Arab), happened to be the leader of a revolutionary troop, which freed Edirne from the Greek occupation in 1922- Haluk enjoyed a very good institutional education. As the third child of Fatma Baskıncı (born Yıldırım; March 1933 – died January 11, 2006) and Süreyya Baskıncı (*June 6, 1924), Haluk attended the Istiklal primary school during 1963-1968, the Atatürk secondary school during 1968-1971 and Edirne High School during 1971-1974. After gaining his high school degree, Haluk took part in the State University Emplacement test in 1974, reaching a place in the statewide top ten. Compared to his siblings, his older brother Faruk Baskıncı (1954–1967), his older sister Süheyla Meriç (born Baskıncı on April 8, 1955) and his younger sister Serap Kocabaşı (born Baskıncı on November 27, 1968), Haluk remained interested in languages, literature, sports and most of all music. He was known as a prodigy, focusing on his success in school and in extracurricular activities. Haluk played basketball in the Turkish regional league of Thrace and was part of the Classical Turkish Art Music Orchestra of Edirne, which he conducted from the early 1990s until his death in 1995.
("The Revolutionary Path"). Unfotunately, apart from his active role as editor for various pamphlets against the then-gouvernment, it is less known about his position in these organizations.
and remained there until their wedding on April 18, 1981. After marrying Sevinç, Haluk had to attend his military service in Kars
in 1983, where he accidentally was struck by a lighting while repairing a telephone booth. After he had been reanimated, he had to spend several months in the military hospital of Erzurum
before he was released from the Army and was sent back home. Until his death in 1995, he suffered from a very heavy form of epillepsy. Though it was strictly forbidden to him to drink alcohol, he started using it as a form of medication to elude seizures and got addicted to it.
He opened his first company "ToBa" in the early 1980s, collaborating with his former friend, whose surname's "To" (Toprak) was used in the company's name alongside Baskıncı's "Ba". Even though, the company has changed its format during the 1980s, which consequently lead to the dismissal of his former partner, the company's name remained the same. Haluk then collaborated with his brother-in-law Timur Büyükçay- a computer programmer and IT-Specialist until 1993. Timur founded his own IT-company "pro.sis" in 1993 and opted out of "ToBa". Haluk's marriage, though, started more promising than it has ended. Because of many heavy discrepancies with Sevinç, the couple separated in 1993 and eventually got divorced in 1995. Their daughter, their only child, Dilara (*June 13, 1984) abode with Haluk until his death in 1995 and then moved to her mother Sevinç, who had already gone back to Germany. They both still live in Germany.
- a traditional Turkish plucked string instrument. Haluk was not allowed to attend the lessons, nevertheless, he attended them in secret by hiding behind furniture but was eventually discovered by the teacher. After the asking Haluk questions about the lessons and finding out that this child was immensely talented, the teacher persuaded Süreyya to focus on Haluk and even offered to teach him for free. Haluk was five years old back then. Haluk began to learn many classical western instruments, such as piano, accordion, mandoline and eventually the guitar alongside the classical Turkish instruments such as kanun, tambur and oud
. His musical training, which began at the age of five, directly contributed him to be the youngest member of the Classical Turkish Art Music Orchestra of Edirne, in which he performed with some of the greatest artists of the Classical Turkish Art Music such as Safiye Ayla
, and also made him celebrated as a child of prodigy in several newspaper articles. Although he was a brilliant architect, he remained more a musician throughout his entire life, composing many pieces of his own and finally conducting his former orchestra.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Early years
Haluk was born in EdirneEdirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
, the border town to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
on November 25, 1957. Looking back to a long glorious family history - his grandfather Ali Baskinci, called "Arap Ali" (Ali the Arab), happened to be the leader of a revolutionary troop, which freed Edirne from the Greek occupation in 1922- Haluk enjoyed a very good institutional education. As the third child of Fatma Baskıncı (born Yıldırım; March 1933 – died January 11, 2006) and Süreyya Baskıncı (*June 6, 1924), Haluk attended the Istiklal primary school during 1963-1968, the Atatürk secondary school during 1968-1971 and Edirne High School during 1971-1974. After gaining his high school degree, Haluk took part in the State University Emplacement test in 1974, reaching a place in the statewide top ten. Compared to his siblings, his older brother Faruk Baskıncı (1954–1967), his older sister Süheyla Meriç (born Baskıncı on April 8, 1955) and his younger sister Serap Kocabaşı (born Baskıncı on November 27, 1968), Haluk remained interested in languages, literature, sports and most of all music. He was known as a prodigy, focusing on his success in school and in extracurricular activities. Haluk played basketball in the Turkish regional league of Thrace and was part of the Classical Turkish Art Music Orchestra of Edirne, which he conducted from the early 1990s until his death in 1995.
University years
After succeeding in the State University Emplacement Test, Haluk attended the Galatasaray Mühendislik Yüksek Okulu (Engineering University of Galatasaray) in Istanbul in 1975. During his time at the university, he sympathized with Communism and Socialism. While Turkey was heading to an inevitable political crisis, which collapsed in the 1980 Turkish coup d'état|12th September Coup in 1980, Haluk became active in several political student organizations such as DevSol ("The Revolutionary Left") and Dev-YolDevrimci Yol
Devrimci Yol was a movement rather than a tightly structured organization, with many supporters in trade unions and other professional institutions. Its ideology was based on Marxism-Leninism but rejected both the Soviet and the Chinese model. Devrimci Yol entered the political scene in Turkey on...
("The Revolutionary Path"). Unfotunately, apart from his active role as editor for various pamphlets against the then-gouvernment, it is less known about his position in these organizations.
Personal life
During the summer of 1976, Haluk met his future wife Sevinç Büyükçay (born September 6, 1959). She was raised in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and remained there until their wedding on April 18, 1981. After marrying Sevinç, Haluk had to attend his military service in Kars
Kars
Kars is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. The population of the city is 73,826 as of 2010.-Etymology:As Chorzene, the town appears in Roman historiography as part of ancient Armenia...
in 1983, where he accidentally was struck by a lighting while repairing a telephone booth. After he had been reanimated, he had to spend several months in the military hospital of Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
before he was released from the Army and was sent back home. Until his death in 1995, he suffered from a very heavy form of epillepsy. Though it was strictly forbidden to him to drink alcohol, he started using it as a form of medication to elude seizures and got addicted to it.
He opened his first company "ToBa" in the early 1980s, collaborating with his former friend, whose surname's "To" (Toprak) was used in the company's name alongside Baskıncı's "Ba". Even though, the company has changed its format during the 1980s, which consequently lead to the dismissal of his former partner, the company's name remained the same. Haluk then collaborated with his brother-in-law Timur Büyükçay- a computer programmer and IT-Specialist until 1993. Timur founded his own IT-company "pro.sis" in 1993 and opted out of "ToBa". Haluk's marriage, though, started more promising than it has ended. Because of many heavy discrepancies with Sevinç, the couple separated in 1993 and eventually got divorced in 1995. Their daughter, their only child, Dilara (*June 13, 1984) abode with Haluk until his death in 1995 and then moved to her mother Sevinç, who had already gone back to Germany. They both still live in Germany.
Music
Before his death in 1967, Haluk's brother Faruk happened to be the center of the family. Their father Süreyya, a very influential man and the head of the State Employment Office in Edirne, has engaged various music teachers to train Faruk and his sister Süheyla in the art of kanunKanun (Instrument)
The Qanun is a string instrument found in the 10th century in Farab in Turkestan...
- a traditional Turkish plucked string instrument. Haluk was not allowed to attend the lessons, nevertheless, he attended them in secret by hiding behind furniture but was eventually discovered by the teacher. After the asking Haluk questions about the lessons and finding out that this child was immensely talented, the teacher persuaded Süreyya to focus on Haluk and even offered to teach him for free. Haluk was five years old back then. Haluk began to learn many classical western instruments, such as piano, accordion, mandoline and eventually the guitar alongside the classical Turkish instruments such as kanun, tambur and oud
Oud
The oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
. His musical training, which began at the age of five, directly contributed him to be the youngest member of the Classical Turkish Art Music Orchestra of Edirne, in which he performed with some of the greatest artists of the Classical Turkish Art Music such as Safiye Ayla
Safiye Ayla
Safiye Ayla was one of the most famous singers of Turkish classical music.She began her musical education as a piano student...
, and also made him celebrated as a child of prodigy in several newspaper articles. Although he was a brilliant architect, he remained more a musician throughout his entire life, composing many pieces of his own and finally conducting his former orchestra.