#OBITUARY: Timur Selçuk from Turkey has died aged 74

The Turkish conductor and musician Timur Selçuk has died of a heart attack. He will be best remembered in Eurovision circles for the two occasions he conducted for his country.

In 1975, he did the honours on the podium for Turkey’s début entry in Stockholm. Seninle bir dakika was performed by Semiha Yankı. All of the song’s points came from Monaco.

We next saw Timur in 1989 in Lausanne, when he made a name for himself as throwing himself into the music as conductor for Bana bana by Pan. This time Spain and Yugoslavia gave points to Turkey, but this song has become a firm favourite at any Eurovision disco. Timur’s daughter Hazal even featured as one of the performers.

Timur was the son of famous Turkish musician Münir Nurettin Selçuk and actress Şehime Erton. He started learning to play the piano at the age of five and gave his first concert aged seven.

He studied music in Paris and after graduating he set up the Istanbul Chamber Orchestra and the Contemporary Music Centre. He also worked in Ankara for over 10 years. In 1998, he received the title of Devlet Sanatçısı (State Artist) from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture. He gave his last concert with singer Nükhet Duru in August 2014.

Eurovision Ireland’s thought are with Timur Selçuk’s family at this time.

Author: John Stanton

Source: Eurovision Ireland