Arranged Bursa folk songs for fourhands piano and their practice in music education departments

The article presents the results of a study carried out within the scope of a project entitled, “Arranged Bursa Folk Songs for Fourhands Piano Extended Piano Techniques and Teaching in Music Education Departments.” It is number KUAP (E)-2014/28 of the Uludag University Scientific Research Projects Unit and was supported by the Bursa Metropolitan Municipality. Six Bursa Folk Songs- were arranged for fourhands piano by composer Berkant Genckal. Five of them were taught and played by six students in chamber music lessons in the Uludag University Music Education Department at the undergraduate and graduate level during the 2015 spring semester. The practice finished with a concert. All pieces were recorded by two teachers. The aim of the project is to enrich the Turkish piano literature and examine the effects on student education. The results were analysed with the N-Vivo Qualitative research programme. According to answers provided by six students to semi-structured interview questions, all students found the project positive in terms of having them acquire a different in chamber music repertoire with its own traditional rhythm and notation.   Key words: Folk song arrangement, fourhands piano, piano education, piano pedagogy, music education, Bursa, Turkey.