Born in Kütahiya in 1965, Yavuz Akalın began learning music with his father, who was a kanun and kemençe player. He was later taught by Niyazi Sayin and Akagündüz Kutbay, and soon began a career in the city of Izmir, as a member of the National Ensemble of Turkish Classical Music. A universally acclaimed neyzen, Yavuz Akalın travels the world playing the ney in sema mystical dance ceremonies.