Istanbul Draws Curtain on International Jazz Festival

20^th Istanbul Jazz Festival attracts international superstars to Candidate City

The 20^th edition of the internationally recognised Istanbul Jazz Festival drew to a close last night in front of an intimate audience at the historic Y?ld?z Palace, ampoule as the 2020 Candidate City reaffirmed its position as a world-class host of cultural events.

R&B and soul singer and 14-time Grammy award winner, Alicia Keys, opened the festival on 2 July, and was followed by some of the biggest stars in jazz and world music during the two-week musical celebration.

The musicians performed in over 40 concerts that were staged in some of the most stunning and historical venues in Istanbul, such as the Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theatre, a proposed Istanbul 2020 weightlifting venue, Hagia Eirene Museum, Istanbul Archaeological Museums, Esma Sultan Mansion, as well as other outdoor venues around the city.

Commenting on the festival, Istanbul 2020 Bid Chairman, Hasan Arat, said:“The Istanbul Jazz Festival is widely considered to be one of the leading jazz festivals in Europe and its ability to attract the world’s best musicians not only proves this, but also demonstrates Istanbul and Turkey’s increasingly recognised position as a global entertainment hub.

“As well as showcasing the finest professional musicians, the festival offers young jazz musicians the chance to perform on the international stage as part of the “Young Jazz” concert series. This desire to engage with Turkey’s 31 million young people, and the hundreds of million more across the region, is a core motivation and integral part of our Games concept. If Istanbul is awarded the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it will realise the full potential of this huge population, sparking a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and mass sport participation.”

Istanbul is set to continue its hosting of musical superstars after the closing of the festival, as R&B and soul singer-songwriter and 9-time Grammy winner, John Legend, will perform at the Cemil Topuzlu Open Air Theatre on 29 July.

Ali Kiremitçio?lu, Istanbul 2020 CEO, added: “There are few other cities in the world that can offer such a spectacular backdrop for international events. Part of what makes this festival so special is the way in which it showcases the magic of this historic city. If Istanbul is awarded the honour of hosting the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, fans, athletes and the entire Olympic Movement can be assured of a once-in-a-generation experience. Staged across two continents, for the first time in Olympic history, Istanbul 2020 will deliver state-of-the-art venues in an incomparable setting that will inspire athletes and future generations to come.”