Biography
Eastern Periphery is a jazz fusion trio formed by students from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague and Conservatorium van Amsterdam. The trio consists of Yankı Saraçoğlu (piano), Nina Cekov (bass guitar) and Dhruv Sharma (drums, tabla and darbuka). The concept of the group lies in intercultural dialogue, inventive compositions and extended improvisations. The original compositions and arrangements of the band bring together the worlds of Jazz, Turkish Music, Balkan Music and Indian Music. After launching the project in a short while Eastern Periphery completed their first Dutch tour in 2026 where they played known local jazz cafes as well as larger venues such as the Grote Kerk and Just Jazz Festival in Delft.
The Trio
Yankı Saraçoğlu
PianoYankı Saraçoğlu is a pianist-composer from Turkey currently based in the Netherlands. He started to play piano with classical education at the age of 6, and shifted his focus as a teenager with his teacher's encouragement to pursue jazz after discovering he had started improvising on his own. After studying composition and music theory with Ali Perret (founder of the first Turkish jazz university department) in Turkey, Saraçoğlu ranked first in his category at the 4th Cangöz Academy International Piano Competition in Istanbul. Before leaving Turkey he worked with Buğra Balcı (ex-faculty member of The Collective School of Music in New York) on contemporary improvisation.
After moving to the Netherlands to study Political Science at the Honours College of Leiden University, Saraçoğlu was accepted to the prestigious "Practicum Musicae" programme, enabling him to enroll in the Royal Conservatory of The Hague as a Jazz Piano student while continuing his academic studies simultaneously. Now in his third year at the Royal Conservatory, he has worked under notable figures in the Dutch jazz scene such as Juraj Stanik and Toon Roos, and has performed around the Netherlands with various ensembles across different genres.
As the pianist for Eastern Periphery, Saraçoğlu composes and arranges pieces heavily inspired by his home country as well as wider world music and contemporary jazz.
Nina Cekov
Bass GuitarNina Cekov is a jazz bassist from the Netherlands and a second-year student at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. While her foundation lies in the jazz tradition, her playing is deeply influenced by contemporary music, world music, and a wide range of other genres. This is partly a product of growing up in a Macedonian family, surrounded by the sounds of Balkan folk music and often hearing her father play traditional melodies on the violin. These influences have helped her develop a personal style built from a wide variety of techniques and sounds.
Throughout her career, Cekov has performed in various ensembles and big bands, received awards at competitions, and shared the stage with artists such as Eric Vloeimans and Sun-Mi Hong.
Within this ensemble, Cekov contributes a distinctive sound by combining the bass guitar with influences from Middle Eastern musical traditions, such as traditional scales and melodic concepts. This approach adds a unique voice to the band and helps drive new ideas.
Dhruv Sharma
Drums, Tabla & DarbukaDhruv Sharma is an Indian drummer and tabla player currently based in the Netherlands. Growing up in India, he was exposed to both Indian and Western music, which first sparked his interest in the drums at age 9. He started out as a rock and metal drummer, playing concerts and performing at local spots with other rock enthusiasts.
He went on to learn the tabla, which helped him connect on a deeper level with his traditional roots. Through tabla playing, Sharma went on to win national-level Indian classical orchestra competitions in high school. As he simultaneously made progress on the drum kit, he turned his attention toward jazz, which opened up a whole new musical world. In a short time he began blending the two elements of his musical education together, giving his playing a distinct fusion sound that draws on both his Indian roots and the West.
Sharma is now a third-year drummer at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and this band is a major project that allows him to put his creativity to use. From navigating odd time signatures to playing tabla over Western compositions, he finds this project central to bringing forward his musical expression.
