Classical singer finds his true voice, and sings in Somerville

Bulent Guneralp sings in Somerville as a very different performer than in his native Istanbul.

In fact, it's like he's playing a different instrument.

Guneralp began his voice training in Istanbul, Turkey, as a tenor, where he was born, raised and encouraged to pursue his talent by his mother, a coloratura soprano, and his "first teacher." He continued his training in Cambridge and Boston before moving to Somerville two years ago.

During his travels and experiences with many teachers, he had to find his own voice, and discovered he was a baritone.

"It was wrong and damaging to the system," he said after realizing his voice was better suited as a baritone, the central range, and finally bass-baritone, a combination of the lower ranges. Singing tenor, he said, was similar to "playing violin repertoire on a cello or double-bass."

Much of this transformation happened on his way to Longy.

Guneralp came to the United States nine years ago to study voice at Longy School of Music in Cambridge, with the help of conductor William Thomas.

Thomas directed Guneralp in Beethoven's 9th Symphony during a 1998 tour of Greece and Turkey. He returned to the United States with a recording of Guneralp and a personal recommendation for him to attend Longy.

"William Thomas has been a very special mentor to me since I first met him in Turkey," said Guneralp "I had not always planned coming to the United States; the idea had gotten more serious by the time I met and sang with (him)," he said.

Months later, Guneralp had arrived in Nashville, his arrival point because of family and because he needed to learn English, though language has not deterred Guneralp from singing. He can sing in eight languages, though he speaks in only two.

"I am singing classical music," he said, "but I am not an opera singer. I am a singer. I sing jazz, pop, folk - I love all music."

Guneralp is a full-time singer and private teacher.