Meet Emre Gokalp

We recently connected with Emre Gokalp and have shared our conversation below.

Emre, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

There are so many things that can distract us from doing what we truly love. It’s easy to lose hours scrolling through social media without really getting anything out of it. For me, as a musician, apart from the time I spend teaching, I have a lot of freedom with my schedule. But that freedom also requires self-discipline, or it can be hard to stay creative.

The pandemic was a great example of this. With all that time on our hands, it really came down to each of us to make something out of it. I had always been interested in video editing, so I took the opportunity to dive in, even though my computer was honestly pretty rubbish back then! I researched a lot, started making short videos for Instagram, and got creative with a green screen. Since we couldn’t actually meet up, I used some video editing tricks to “perform” with musician friends as if we were sitting side-by-side. People loved it, and it felt great to keep that connection and share music when everyone was going through tough times.

For me, keeping creativity alive is all about having a project—a chamber piece, an album, a concert, whatever it may be. It all starts with an idea that I work to bring to life. When you genuinely love what you’re doing, the journey becomes the joy, not just the end result. The journey requires learning new skills, putting in the work, and finding excitement along the way. That’s what keeps me connected to the music and keeps the creativity flowing.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a Turkish-British classical guitarist based in London, and won several prizes in international guitar competitions worldwide. These include 1st prizes at the 1st International Guitar Competition by the Paris Guitar Foundation, the “de la Semaine Musicale en Forêt d’Orléans” in France, and the 1st Balkan Festival and Guitar Competition in Bulgaria, among others.

My formal musical education started with one of the most important classical guitarists of Turkey, Ahmet Kanneci, at Hacettepe University Ankara State Conservatory. During this time, I also studied with Miguel Trápaga at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid in Spain as an Erasmus exchange student. I then moved to the UK to pursue my Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where I studied with prominent guitarists, including Michael Lewin, David Russell, Fabio Zanon, Stephen Goss, and Timothy Walker. Supported by a scholarship from the Borusan Kocabıyık Foundation, I completed my Master of Arts with DipRAM and the Frank Britton Prize for outstanding achievements.

Throughout my career, I’ve had masterclasses with influential figures like Alirio Diaz, Julian Byzantine, Tilman Hoppstock, Pavel Steidel, and Gerald Reichenbach, who have all shaped my artistic path. I’ve performed in many international festivals and competitions, including Bilkent University’s “11th Guitar Meeting” in Turkey, the Machynlleth Music Festival in the UK, the Hass Guitar Fest in Armenia, and served several times as a jury member at the Marku Guitar Competition in Albania.

In addition to solo performances, I frequently collaborate in chamber music and have appeared as a soloist with various orchestras. Teaching is a central part of my life, and several of my students have gained admission to top institutions like the Royal Academy of Music’s Junior Academy, where I have also served as a substitute teacher for a short time.

After getting very highly commended in the 1st David Russell Guitar Prize, the maestro himself praised my playing as “a beautiful player with a smooth and agile technique that allows him to express his musical ideas fully, playing with a beautiful tone and shaping the music with elegance and imagination.”

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Three qualities that have been pivotal in my journey are learning a second language, building a strong foundation in musicianship, and maintaining a mindset open to growth and change.

First, learning a different language can make a significant impact. I grew up in Turkey and started learning English at a young age, which turned into a major interest in high school under the guidance of excellent teachers. This foundation not only expanded my cultural awareness and professional opportunities but ultimately led me to become a British citizen in 2022. My advice to anyone early in their journey: learn another language as soon as possible. The younger you start, the easier it is to integrate and retain.

Musically, I’d highly recommend building skills beyond just playing your instrument. A deep understanding of composition and musicianship is essential. Only playing will never be enough without feeding your creativity. This includes sight-reading, theory, knowledge of musical forms, and composition, even if just for arranging or transcribing music. Develop a consistent warm-up routine and practice mindfully—efficiency is key.

Lastly, read books, listen to podcasts or watch material that pushes you to think differently or add depth to your worldview. Avoid being overly comfortable in your habits. Seek out ways to change and grow, staying open to evolving beyond what you currently know.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

I was watching ToneBase’s live stream on YouTube titled “Become Comfortable on Stage,” featuring one of my former chamber music teachers at the Royal Academy of Music, the world-renowned Welsh guitarist and composer Stephen Goss.

During the stream, he recommended several books, one of which was The Expectation Effect by David Robson. The book explores how our mindset can transform our lives. While I haven’t finished it yet, I can already tell it will become one of my bedside reads, one that I’ll return to frequently for years to come.

Just a few pages in, there’s a striking example that illustrates how the expectation effect works; in the late 1970s, the US Centers for Disease Control received numerous reports of Laotian immigrants dying in their sleep. All of the deceased were males between their mid-20s and mid-40s from the Hmong ethnic group, who had fled Laos for political reasons. The phenomenon was dubbed Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome, and the CDC struggled to identify a cause, as there was nothing unusual about their diet or any traces of poisoning.

As the death rate rose alarmingly, questions emerged about why so many seemingly healthy adults were passing away in their sleep. The mystery was ultimately unraveled by medical anthropologist Shelley Adler. According to Hmong folklore, an evil demon known as the dab tsog was believed to roam the world at night. This demon was thought to paralyze its victims in their sleep, smothering them until they could no longer breathe.

In Laos, it was common for individuals to consult a shaman for a protective necklace to ward off this evil spirit. However, upon arriving in the United States, many Hmong immigrants found themselves without access to shamans. Some had converted to Christianity to better integrate into American culture, leaving behind their traditional rituals.

The guilt of abandoning their customs contributed to chronic stress, but more significantly, their fears of the dab tsog became a reality in this new context. Disturbing nightmares led to sleep paralysis, which for most people might not have severe consequences. However, for those who believed a demon was overtaking them, the panic they experienced could lead to heart attacks. As the number of deaths continued to rise, this created a kind of hysteria within the community, further contributing to the mortality rate—a phenomenon widely accepted by scientists today.

This case is an astounding example of the expectation effect explored in the book, and I highly recommend it to everyone, whether they are musicians or not.

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