SHOSTAKOVICH Piano Quintet Op.57 G Minor
PIAZZOLLA Four Seasons of Buenos Aires

Hyun Sook Tekin was born in Daegu, South Korea. Her musical studies began at the age of six when she started to receive private tuition in piano. Between 1989 and 1994 she won first prize on several occasions in the Young Pianist Competition in Daegu. In 1996 she achieved the highest mark in the entrance examinations of the Kyung Pook National University – College of Fine Art and Music and consequently gained the Special Scholarship of the Rector. As a student of Prof. Jung she attended the Music College of Kyung Pook National University in Daegu, beginning in 1996 and graduating from the Piano department with bachelor degrees in both Piano Major and Music Pedagogy in 2000. During her University education she accompanied for several professional opera societies, such as Opera Young Nam at Daegu, and performed in various chamber ensembles on the piano. Most of these concerts were broadcast by Korean Television.

In 2000 she moved to Germany where she trained in Berlin under Prof. Kupfernagel and in Leipzig under Prof. Erber. Between 2001 and 2004 she studied with the famous pianist Prof. Klaus Schilde, who was a pupil of Walter Gieseking and Marguerite Long, in the Hochschule für Musik-Franz Liszt in Weimar and received a Master’s degree in February 2004. During this period she studied Chamber Music with Prof. Beetz (Abegg Trio). She also completed masterclasses with Prof. Mishory, Prof. Schirmer, Prof. Kehrer, Prof. Mia Paul .

Between 2004 and 2010 she continued her piano studies as a doctorate student at MIAM, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), in Turkey with the State Artist Ayşegül Sarıca and completed her Ph. D. thesis on R. Schumann’s miniature piano pieces which are related to literary ideas under the advisorship of Prof. Dr. Cihat Aşkın and Prof. Judith Uluğ.

Dr. Tekin has been invited regularly by the Afyon Music Festival where she gave many recitals. In 2012, she played Mozart’s piano concerto with the Praguemodern Ensemble at the opening concert. In 2013 she is invited to give master classes and seminar as a guest professor at the Bologna Conservatory in Italy. She has also given concerts at the Verona Piano Festival, Contemporary Music Festival (ITU), St. John Classical Music Festival, Piano Summer Ohrid, and Pharos Music Foundation. She has participated in International Music Symposiums and she is currently working on several articles about musical symbolism. In 2013, she played U. C. Erkin’s concerto with the Istanbul State Orchestra for the goodwill concert between Turkey and Korea which is organized by the both government. This concert is praised by the U. C. Erkin Foundation. Since 2008 she has been working at Marmara University and performing regularly with the Marmara Flute Trio Trio’le and chamber music ensemble. Since 2013 she is the chairman of the music department working as an Associate Prof. Dr. at Marmara University.

Her pianism and concentration to music has been praised by numerous critics and audiences. Hyun Sook Tekin has performed in various chamber music concerts and solo recitals in Korea, Japan, Germany, Italy, England, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey.

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.

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.