Restoration of Türkiye's first piano, built in 1904, completed in Kastamonu

In Kastamonu, the restoration and maintenance of Türkiye's first piano, built in 1904 by Taşköprülü Mehmet Usta, have been completed. Mehmet Usta, a furniture maker from Taşköprü, decided to replicate a piano he saw in the home of Italian engineer Karlo Efendi, who was working in Kastamonu at the time. After taking measurements of the piano in Karlo Efendi's house, Usta successfully crafted the first piano in 1904. One of the five pianos Usta made was gifted to Sultan Abdulhamid II by the governor Enis Paşa. Today, one of Mehmet Usta's pianos is displayed at Yıldız Palace, another at the Kastamonu City History Museum, and the third at the Kastamonu Mimar Vedat Tek Cultural Center. The piano at the City History Museum was restored and maintained by Dr. Ahmet Tunç Buyruklar, a faculty member of the Music Technology Department at Istanbul Technical University's (ITU) Turkish Music State Conservatory, in collaboration with the Kastamonu City History Museum, the World Heritage Kastamonu Initiative, Taşköprü Municipality, and the Esen family. Dr. Buyruklar, who has been mentoring students in musical instrument craftsmanship for 34 years, explained the significance of the restoration: 'Taşköprülü Mehmet Usta was a master carpenter. He made five pianos, and we know the whereabouts of three. I came to restore the one at the museum. Despite being in poor condition, it is still on display. I adjusted the keyboard to improve its appearance.' Buyruklar emphasized the historical value of creating such an instrument in that era, noting that it was a remarkable feat for an Anatolian craftsman to create a European-style instrument like the piano. He added, 'It is of great importance as the first piano made in Türkiye.' Süleyman Şenel, an Artist Lecturer in the Department of Musicology at ITU's Turkish Music State Conservatory, also expressed his pride in being part of the project, highlighting the piano's importance in Turkish music history. 'This piano is significant because it is the first known piano made in Türkiye by a Turkish master. We deeply appreciate the contributions of everyone involved in this restoration, especially Dr. Tunç Buyruklar, who volunteered his expertise.'