The Journey of Capriccio of Creation: Mehmet Güneş Açikgöz on Music, Emotion, and Creation
- WOMCO
- 4 hours ago
- 5 min read
Composer Mehmet Güneş Açikgöz from Turkey was awarded Best Composer of the Season for his orchestral work Capriccio of Creation at the International Music Leadership Award, 2025 Season 3 (19 June – 19 September 2025), with results announced in October 2025.
We spoke with Mehmet to explore the inspiration, creative process, and musical journey behind his award-winning composition, as well as his insights into contemporary composition and the challenges facing composers today.
Could you introduce your award-winning composition Capriccio of Creation? When and under what circumstances was it composed? Could you share the inspiration behind it and the message you wish to convey?
Mehmet Güneş Açikgöz:
"Composing Capriccio of Creation marked an especially emotional and transformative period for me. I began writing it a few weeks before the devastating earthquake that struck our country on February 6, 2023. At first, I envisioned the piece as a suite, aiming to express the divine process of creation and humanity’s joy and curiosity toward its own existence. Yet, everything changed after the earthquake. I had to leave my home to keep my wife and son safe; in that moment, survival was our only concern. Artistic creation, aesthetic concerns, and the act of composing suddenly became distant concepts. When I finally returned home months later, I realized that nothing was the same anymore. The excitement and joy I once felt for everything God had created had turned into deep sorrow and anger. This emotional transformation found its direct reflection in the music. In the bassoon and clarinet parts emerged melodies of loss and grief; the oscillation between major and minor tonalities reflected a tension between gratitude toward God and a cry of rebellion, culminating in surging dynamics and chaos. This intense variability made me feel that the piece should take the form of a capriccio—since a capriccio, by its nature, embodies freedom, sudden transitions, and inner contradictions. Capriccio of Creation thus became mysterious, passionate, and yet bittersweet and unpredictable—much like life itself."
What was your creative process while composing Capriccio of Creation? How did you approach its structure and dynamics?
Mehmet Güneş Açikgöz:
"Although the foundation of the work was based on the divine cycle of creation, as the process evolved, themes of human trauma, anger, and questioning took center stage. Throughout the score, I intertwined contrasting themes whose sudden dynamic shifts mirrored the interwoven nature of emotions. Through tonal changes, I sought to balance gratitude and rage toward the divine. In this sense, Capriccio of Creation became a composition that is formally free yet emotionally intense."
Could you tell us about yourself, your musical journey, and your future goals? Also, in today’s digital age, what do you think defines a great composer, and what artistic challenges do composers face today?
Mehmet Güneş Açikgöz:
"My musical journey began at the age of eleven with piano lessons. During my education, I explored many instruments; before high school, I taught myself traditional Turkish instruments such as the saz, ney, and duduk. In high school, I studied viola, and at university, my main instrument became the double bass. This path eventually led me toward composition. My first teacher was Azerbaijani composer Elhan Bakihanov, followed by Turkish composer Server Acim. During my studies at Mannheim Musikhochschule in Germany, I had the opportunity to work with composer Sidney Corbett. My compositional journey has largely revolved around one question: How can I reflect Turkish music through a European perspective? For me, Turkish music is a paradise of melody. It is possible to express every emotion solely through melody, even without polyphony. Yet I believe that blending this melodic richness with polyphonic textures creates a more profound and powerful expression. One of the greatest challenges composers face today is the system’s tendency to push repetition. The constant pursuit of “newness” can easily make one a slave to modernity. For me, true innovation is born from one’s own roots. The goal is not simply to be “different,” but to discover the difference that naturally comes from within—that is the essence of creative freedom. Today, composition serves a wide range of fields: symphonies, operas, theater, film, television, and even video games. Creativity evolves alongside technology. At this point, the composer must ask: What is it that I truly want to create? I have written music for short films and theater, but over time I realized that these mediums limited my creative expression. Now, I want to choose both the subject and the emotion myself—because true freedom lies in telling your own story."
Could you share your experience participating in our competition and the people you’d like to thank?
Mehmet Güneş Açikgöz:
"In fact, I had never entered a competition before. I was in a period of intense writing, yet I didn’t have the opportunity to have my works performed or heard by an orchestra. As a result, each of my compositions went through a long period of “maturation.” One day, my dear friend Farid Adıgüzelzade listened to my piece and said, “Why don’t you send this to competitions? I want everyone to know your music.” His words inspired me to do some research, and that’s how I discovered your competition. I managed to submit my work on the very last day. Shortly after sending it, your team reached out with a professional and reassuring message, letting me know that everything was in order despite the late submission. In such competitions, participants want to feel that both they and their works are in safe hands—and the WOMCO team provided that sense of trust perfectly. This demonstrates how professional and ethical your institution truly is. Therefore, I sincerely thank the entire team and the esteemed jury for their efforts. I hope that one day Capriccio of Creation will resonate across the world—performed by musicians with joy, and heard by listeners who can feel what I felt while composing it."
Biography
Mehmet Güneş AÇIKGÖZ
He began his musical education at the age of eleven with piano training and later graduated at the top of his class from the Fine Arts High School. During his university studies, he continued his musical education with a focus on double bass and composition, and through the Erasmus exchange program, he pursued advanced studies in composition at the Mannheim Musikhochschule in Germany. He also graduated with first-class honors.
In addition to numerous arrangements of Turkish music for string orchestra, he has composed original works for piano and choir. Alongside his compositions for short films and theatrical productions, he wrote the first ethnic sinfonietta dedicated to the UNESCO-protected archaeological site of Arslantepe Mound, combining strings and choir with traditional ethnic instruments.
He currently serves as an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, İnönü University, where he also holds the position of Vice Dean. His teaching focuses on music theory and composition.