Handmade Turkish Cymbals Tradition – An Inside Perspective

This workshop, which was the only cymbal factory in Turkey in those days, moved from Samatya to Bayrampaşa-Topçular area in Istanbul in the end of the 1960’s. In these years, Agop Tomurcuk became the chief cymbal-smith of the company and continued to produce cymbals with passion until the workshop ceased production of their cymbals in Turkey in 1977.

When the workshop closed in 1977, some tools and equipments like the lathing machine, rolling machine, bell-pressing machine, hammers, etc. were sold; and Mikael Zildjian’s passing in 1978 marked the temporary closing down of the only cymbal factory in Turkey. Following the closure of the factory, the rest of the Zildjian family left Turkey for the U.S. within a couple of years.

Agop Tomurcuk, who dedicated his life to making cymbals, expressed what he felt when the workshop was closed with these words in the interviews he has given since then:

“I felt like a fish out of water!”

After working in various different jobs between 77-79, In 79, Agop Tomurcuk decided to continue the tradition of Turkish handmade cymbal making on his own. After a little search, he was able to find most of the equipment sold after the closing of the previous company and bought them back. He started to produce and experiment with some cymbals again in a small workshop he rented in Bakırköy – Kartaltepe area in Istanbul. Many of these equipment, such as the rolling machine, the bell pressing machine, and similar are still currently being used at the Istanbul Agop Cymbals factory.

Agop Tomurcuk managed to start producing cymbals again by overcoming many obstacles, thanks to his patient, stubborn and adamant character. His younger son, Arman Tomurcuk shares a memory of his, explaining how hard it was back then: “I was about 9- 10 years old back then so I can’t remember exactly, but my mother ‘Uskui Tomurcuk’ still talks about how dearly she helped my father who was struggling to do casting due to limited resources and manpower in Kartaltepe with the help of only a couple of workers or even alone sometimes. I remember my father coming home very tired, because it was a very heavy-duty job. My father’s cousin once brought him home from the workshop by carrying him on his back.”

After setting up a small, but functional factory and manufacturing some cymbals, Agop Tomurcuk began selling cymbals locally to some music stores in Istanbul’s Tünel area, but the prospects of this were limited. Mehmet Tamdeğer who was a former co-worker, learned of this new venture and offered to become partners; and in 1980 together they founded “Zilciler Kollektif Şirketi” (In English: Cymbal Maker Collective Company), the beginning of the Istanbul Cymbals brand. The first cymbals produced were branded under “Zilciler” name. The “Zilciler” logo on the cymbals were stenciled using spray paints.

Right after Zilciler Kollektif Şirketi (Cymbal Maker Collective Company) was founded, Agop Tomurcuk asked his brother Oksant Tomurcuk to work together again, and he joined the company as chief cymbal-smith. The brand name was soon changed to “ISTANBUL” after 1.5-2 years of its establishment. Back then, Istanbul Cymbals’ logos were printed using the same stencil-spray paint method like “Zilciler” logo in the first couple of years. By 1982, Istanbul Cymbals Company was exporting cymbals to the United States. That same year, Istanbul Cymbals made their first debut at the NAMM Show, known and accepted as the most important musical instruments fair in the world. Legendary Jazz drummer Mel Lewis declared “They are back!” after trying out the cymbals at the show, referring to the sound of his beloved hand-hammered vintage Turkish cymbals.

Istanbul Cymbals started with a handful of distributors, but continued to grow considerably, gained the recognition and admiration of many acclaimed musicians, and lived its golden years between 86-96. The company had extended its distributors to more than 30 countries worldwide. It had become like a sacred place for all musicians.

“Elvin Jones came to Istanbul for a concert. I don’t remember the name of the venue now, it was somewhere in Taksim. My father was invited to the concert because Jones was playing Istanbul’s and they were good friends. He took me to listen to Elvin and I have to admit it was a great concert!. I was 14 but I remember well, I was wearing an Istanbul T-shirt. Elvin invited my father to the backstage after the concert. When Elvin saw me wearing that shirt, he came right over to me with his huge smile, took a pen and autographed my t-shirt. I was already mesmerized by his playing, the autograph became the icing on the cake. I still keep that precious present from Elvin. The next day, he visited our workshop. It was one of the greatest moments of my life.”

Istanbul Cymbals attended NAMM Show officially for the first time in 1994. Business went extremely well and upwards for the company until Agop Tomurcuk’s untimely death in 1996. Their father’s death caused the two brothers to quit the old factory where they had worked for 16 years and continue their path as a different company under a different brand name.

In 1997, the new, young and dynamic company started its life in Istanbul – Bayrampaşa with the “Istanbul Zilciler” name and further distinguished themselves with the “Istanbul Agop” brand name. Istanbul Agop Cymbals had a much accelerated projectile after their establishment even compared to the Istanbul brand. After Sarkis Tomurcuk’s son Rudi Tomurcuk’s participation in this dynamic team in 2015, the company continued to increase its success in the following years.

“We have witnessed the happiness and joy on the faces of many valuable musicians from all over the world countless times which was created by the sound of the handmade cymbals produced by our father, and then by us in his footsteps. Watching all these musicians transforming into a kid in a candy store and seeing their happiness and joy while playing our cymbals at our factory or at our booth at music fairs, has always been the biggest motivation for my brother and I to continue making cymbals with passion and it will continue to be so. If our father Agop Tomurcuk hadn’t decided to continue the tradition of Turkish handmade cymbal making many years ago, no one would have had the chance to experience the sound and feel of these unique and genuinely musical instruments today.”

Sarkis & Arman Tomurcuk – Esenyurt, ISTANBUL 2021