02|08|2016 • Concert Hall • 20h
CEREMONIAL OPENINGMARMARA QUINTET ISTANBUL TURKEY
Hyun Sook Tekin piano
Zeynep Karaçal violin
Idil Belgin Küçükdoğan violin
Evrim Bastas viola
Yılmaz Bışer cello
Bade Bayazitoğlu double bass
SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Quintet Op.57 G Minor
PIAZZOLLA Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

Zeynep Karaçal born in Ankara, started learning the violin in 1994, with Muhammedjan Turdiev, at Bilkent Music Preparatory School. She received Bachelor of Music degree in violin performance from Bilkent University, Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from University of Maryland School of Music. At the UMD, she studied violin with David Salness, chamber music with the members of Guarneri Quartet, Left Bank Quartet, Kronos Quartet and Audubon Quartet.
In 2007 she was invited to the Brevard Music Festival advanced chamber music program. As the first violinist of the Armoni Quartet, she gave performances and studied with William Preucil. As a chamber musician, Karacal also performed at UMD Honours Chamber Music Series, 2010 UMD Schumann Bicentennial Festival and Klasik Keyifler Chamber Music Festival. She served as concertmeister in a number of orchestras including Bilkent Youth Symphony Orchestra, University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra and Maryland Symphonietta. Zeynep Karacal was the recipient of Bilkent University Music Fellowship, Dr. Nejat F. Eczacibasi Foundation Scholarship for Outstanding Young Turkish Musicians and UMD School of Music Graduate Ensemble Assistantship.
Since 2012 she resides in Istanbul and teaches at Marmara University Department of Music.
Idil Belgin Küçükdoğan, born in Ankara, started her violin studies at the age of twelve in Bilkent University Music Preperation School. Finishing her studies with the first rank, she continued Bilkent University Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, studying violin with Muhammedjan Turdiev. During her education she played in many concert and recital tours in Turkey. For her master studies, she was accepted to the violin studio of the famous violin professor Cyrus Forough at Carnegie Mellon University School of Music in USA with full scholarship and teaching assistantship. She had chance to be part of Carnegie Hall Concert Series in New York for two years as a member of Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic. She also played in many local orchestras in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Returning to Turkey in 2010, she was invited to play in Turksoy International Youth Chamber Orchestra and with this orchestra they were the guest ensemble in Bayreuth Young Artists Festival in Germany. Giving there many concerts with her ensemble, Idil B. Küçükdoğan was also part of Bayreuth Baroque Ensemble under the direction of baroque specialist George Petrou. She continued her violin studies with Ellen Jewett in Istanbul, an American violinist who is the founder of Cappadocia Chamber Music Festival. Idil B. Küçükdoğan worked in that festival as Jewett’s assistant and also played in many chamber music concerts in Cappadocia region.
She played in the masterclasses of Gilles Apap, James Buswell, Mikhail Gotsdiner, Roman Nodel and Catherine Van Heusen and also took part in the festivals like Datça Music Festival, Gumusluk Classical Music Festival, Istanbul International Youth Orchestras Festival and Piano Summer Vranje 2015.
Now a member of Hezarfen Ensemble, an Istanbul based conteporary music ensemble, she is taking part on their projects with Ministry of Culture of Greece and a new chamber opera project with Bristol University in England. She is also playing in Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra and CRR Istanbul City Symphony Orchestra. Currently teaching violin and chamber music in Marmara University in Istanbul, Idil Küçükdoğan works as Artist Relations Coordinator in Bachfest Ankara as well.
Evrim Bastas born in Istanbul and earned her undergraduate diploma from Istanbul University State Conservatory at the age of 19, where she studied viola with Çiğdem Epikmen, Veniamin Warshavski and Ionescu Galati.
1996 she went to USA with full tuition scholarship for her graduate degree studies (master of music, artist diploma), studied with Yizhak Schotten, Arianna Quartet (University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University), James Dunham-Cleveland Quartet (New England Conservatory Boston), Richard Young-Vermeer Quartet (Northern Illinois University) as a full time student.
1999 she attended to Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival with full scholarship, studied with Juilliard, Mendelsohn, Fine Arts, St. Lawrence and Vermeer Quartets, gave concerts there.
2000 she won the second prize in Chicago Viola Society Competition.
Since 2001 she’s a member of several orchestras in Istanbul, such as CRR Symphony, İstanbul State Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, CRR Jazz Orchestra, Philharmonia Istanbul, Milli Reasurans Chamber Orchestra, Askın Ensemble, Modern Music Ensemble with Kamran Ince, Şirin Pancaroğlu Trio and CRR Soloists.
Yılmaz Bişer, cello, born in 1983 in Nazilli, Turkey; he started his cello studies with Tufan Tolga in Haccettepe University Ankara State Conservatory. Pursuing his studies with Şahin İzzet Nazlıaka, he took part in Hacettepe Symphony Orchestra. He attended Dimitria Festival in Greece in 2004. After graduating in 2006 he was accepted in Antalya Symphony Orchestra. In 2007 he gave concerts in South Korea as a part of Turkish-Korean friendship 50th anniversary celebrations.
Taking part in Acedemia Datça International Masterclasses in 2006 and 2007, he studied cello with Şölen Dikener and Frieder Lenz. And chamber music with Çetin Aydar. He was also the principle cello player of the Festival orchestra during these years. Since 2008 he is a member of İstanbul State Symphony Orchestra and Borusan Istanbul Philarmonic Orchestra.
Yılmaz Bişer is the principle cellist of the İstanbul Symphony Orchestra since 2012, and he also performed as a soloist with the orchestra in 2013 and 2016. Bişer continues his career as a prominent orchestra member, soloist and chamber musician.