Istanbul gives classes for prayer singing

ISTANBUL, Turkey, May 11 (UPI) -- The head of religious affairs for Turkey's largest city said classes are being given to tone-deaf clerics to help them sing the Muslim morning prayers.

Mustafa Cagrici, head of religious affairs for Istanbul, said the goal of the classes for muezzins and imams is to make the morning prayers sound beautiful at each of the city's 3,000 mosques, the BBC reported Tuesday.

He said music teacher Seyfettin Tomakin was hired to teach singing classes after multiple locals complained about the quality of singing during morning prayers.

"For some reason, these imams were hired even though their voices are not good, they just can't sing," Cagrici said. "We're doing our best to help our imams and muezzins to improve their singing."

Imam Mehmet Tas, who has been attending the classes, said his singing has vastly improved.

"I have so much more self-confidence now in my abilities to do all five calls to prayer in their correct tempos," he said.